The Barringer Bunch
by twinmuse
Summary: ~Complete!!~ A S&S fic. What happens when bad things happen that end with something good? A LOT of good things!! Plz R&R!
1. And it Begins

D: I do not own HG; only those who I made up.  
  
A/N: I do not own Danny, he is property of Emer. I do highly recommend you read her fic called 'The Family' to understand who Danny is and how he came to be apart of the Horizon group. Otherwise you'll be REALLY confused on my story about Danny. I borrowed him from Emer, with permission of course. So I highly recommend reading 'The Family', it's really good; that's one of the reasons I went off of it. I loved the fic. On ward with my story, hope you all enjoy, it's my second HG fic, and only my 3rd fic ever, so R&R please! Enjoy!  
  
AA/N: Just to point out, I am not a doctor or have a PHD or MD attached to my name, so some of the medical stuff mentioned is based off of a very vague knowledge and a twin sis who is going through nursing school with some knowledge of some stuff. So don't flame me if some of my medical stuff doesn't quit fit for real, go with it, it makes my story work, and besides it's an AU, so anything is game. Thanx!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
"Shelby? Sophie wants to see you in the office. When you 'finish' here, you should go see her. She looked a little worried." Daisy announced to Shelby as she sat on the docks with Scott cuddling. It was just before dinner so they figured the 'ward attendants' would be elsewhere and wouldn't catch them.  
  
"Hmm. I wonder what's up? I don't THINK I've done anything wrong!? She seemed cool with me in class. Gosh, I hate these office thingy's!" Shelby said getting up with a worried face.  
  
"Well, you're 1 for 4 on the 'good' to 'bad' news, so you're on the losing end..sorry, Shel." Scott said jokingly, flashing his grin that always managed to stop her breath.  
  
"Gee, thanks.see ya' at dinner, cowboy." She said kissing him quickly on the cheek then heading off to the office. For a moment, she was hoping Danny was coming with her, but as soon as that thought struck, she knew it had to be bad news if both Merrick twins were called in. Her heart skipped a beat as she WAS joined by her as he also made his way across campus in the direction of the office. They joined together outside the office and immediately she whispered.  
  
"Jess"  
  
Danny clicked the same feeling and instantly took his sister's hand and went into the office. This time only Sophie was there, so Shelby relaxed a little. If it were hugely serious, Peter would be the one to tell her. He was always the 'fatherly' way towards her, even more so then the others and that didn't go unseen by Shelby.  
  
"Hey Soph, what's up? Everything okay?" Shelby started as the twins each took a seat.  
  
"Well, not everything. Nothing life threatening, no one's died, don't worry!" Sophie suddenly said when she saw the look of pure panic came over Shelby and spread to her twin brother.  
  
"Why we both here? Is it our mom..or Jess?" Shelby said, chewing on her lip. The look in Sophie's eyes when Shel mentioned her little sister confirmed it.  
  
"Oh migosh! It's Jess! What's wrong?! Did something happen?!" Shelby gasped out, automatically hitting the panic button again. Jess always did that for her.  
  
"Calm down.she's okay. She just got sick a few days ago..she started getting bad abdominal pains and fainted in school today. Your mom called to tell me she's in the hospital..but she's okay right now. It's not life threatening. They're observing her mostly and running a bunch of tests..but from what the doctors could gather, from her general exam, is that it has something to do with her reproductive system. It's possibly from what happened with your stepfather. Your mother's concerned about you now as well." Sophie explained as best as she could. Shelby nodded, a little bit in shock. Her eyes teared up slightly, as she thought about it all.  
  
"S-she's okay? I-is she in any.pain?" Shelby mumbled quietly.  
  
"No..when your mom called, Jess was sleeping comfortably next to her. The pediatrician there wants to ask you some questions..concerning your health with.." Sophie dragged on, glancing at Danny a little questioningly.  
  
"Oh!..oh, um...so my baby sis is all right at the moment? And you'll keep tabs on her for us?.." Danny said getting the hint and standing up to leave.  
  
"Yes, and of course." Sophie answered for him.  
  
"Then.I'll head to dinner..I think we're having that pasta-y stuff again. See ya' sis." Danny said, softly touching her hand goodbye and walking out the door, shutting it gently.  
  
"I just wanted to include him on the news about Jess...think you're up to answering some touchy questions right now?" Sophie asked gently.  
  
" Y-yeah...please...uh.THINGS haven't been too...normal lately..or for a LONG time now. A-and..I just.was too embarrassed to mention or say anything..it's just..well..when YOU went through all that stuff..I just got even more freaked..I guess I didn't want to believe it really." Shelby said, all in gasps. Sophie nodded with a knowing look as she dialed the hospital where Jess was at.  
  
  
  
[10 min. after dinner started.]*********************************  
  
  
  
Danny came into the mess hall and with huge eyes and a smile, covered his plate with his fave dish. As he joined the Cliffhangers table, Scott searched behind him for Shelby.  
  
"Hey, bro.where's Shel? She wasn't with you in the office?" he asked, feeling worried for some reason.  
  
"Uh-huh." Danny mumbled around his mouthful of food.  
  
"Was that a yes she was with you or what?" Scott, getting slightly irritated since he couldn't figure out why he was feeling so uneasy.  
  
"Width mhe.imb obice." Danny mumble some more. Suddenly Scott had his plate away from him, glaring at him expectantly.  
  
"Gulp Okay! Our little sister's sick in the hospital, not life threatening; they're just running some tests and observing her. Something to do with.her..female stuff or something. Once I knew she was okay, I scrammed. Not my area, if you haven't noticed. The doctors just wanted to ask Shel some questions about her health.since their both sisters." Danny said feeling all uncomfortable and embarrassed.  
  
"What, wait..is she okay? Is she.like.Sophie?" Daisy spoke suddenly. Of course, Danny had no clue what she was talking about, so he just shrugged, reaching desperately for his food. Scott gave it back to him, patting his shoulder, and taking off.  
  
'Please be okay, babe' Scott thought, rushing to find her. He met her heading out of the office building, a little teary eyed.  
  
"Shel, babe, you okay? Danny said Jess was sick.and..you." he stammered, out of breath.  
  
"Um, she's okay. She had.these pains and fainted. They're doing some tests,.but..since it's her.'girl stuff'...they say it's from, you know, Walt...and so they wanted to ask me s-some questions. 'Cause.I..I've never told..never wanted to believe something was wrong with me...a-and..my sometimes pains..so.they're sending me to a doctor here..t-to check me out. It's not serious..and he's not the biggest GYN doc, 'cause we can't afford that.but it's just some simple tests and procedures...to make sure of some things. I go tomorrow morning." Shelby tried to explain, turning pink sometimes, and sometimes glancing away from him.  
  
"Oh, my poor Shel..c'mere" Scott said, wrapping her up in his arms. She sighed finally just rubbing her face in his chest.  
  
"Wanna eat?.something.please?" he asked when he saw her twist her face up. She nodded and allowed him to pull her to the mess hall. Once seated with her small glass of juice, piece of bread, melon slice, and some pasta; Daisy caught her attention since the whole gang, respectively, stayed quiet.  
  
"You okay, Shel?" Daisy asked, full of concern. Shelby looked up to see the whole Cliffhangers groups eyes looking at her the same way.  
  
"Ah, guys. Chill. I go for some tests in the morning. Then we'll see. Don't know for sure yet." She said, smiling sadly. She couldn't lie to them when they were all looking at her like that by saying she was fine. Even David looked like he had a flicker of concern on his face.  
  
"Jess isn't in any more pain and was sleeping peacefully. My mom said she was more upset about the I.V. and board they had to attach to her wrist." She informed, smiling. She ate everything on her tray since she wouldn't be allowed to eat anything before her 9:00am appointment. Just before she said goodnight to Scott, she looked scared up into his eyes.  
  
"Scott.what if-"but was silenced by his finger.  
  
"No if's.you'll be fine...get some rest. My princess." He said trying to lighten the mood. She nodded and kissed him a long good night kiss.  
  
"Bye my prince." He heard her say as she slipped away back towards the girls dorm. He turned on his heal and headed straight for Peter's office.  
  
He had something to do.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: Hope you like!? How am I doing!? Do you follow, should I go on? R&R please, you'll be my new best friend!! Please tell me if you like the point of my story, and don't worry, there's still LOTS more to come!! Don't forget to review!!! thanx! 


	2. The Hospital Visit

D: Not mine. Just borrowing.  
  
A/N:Okay people!! ONE review??!! What's up with that? But I'll let it slide for the first chapters or so. The story is just getting started. So, I would like to thank and give a shout out to Christie. Thanks girl, you made my day. This next chappy is for you. Here goes, enjoy!!  
  
AA/N: Okay, this next part of medical stuff I was a little more informed since I had a cousin going through similar procedures and tests when she found some problems. I based it off of some of what I gathered from her, but I am still not a medical doctor, so don't quote me or whatever. It's still an AU. Thanx!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
The next morning, as the girls trooped off to math class after breakfast, they wished Shelby luck as they left the dorm. She'd just slept in an extra hour or so since she couldn't eat any food any way and figured it would be torture to accompany them to the mess hall. She slowly made her way to the lobby where she was meeting Sophie to leave. She found Sophie there, with a..DONUT!!  
  
"Uh..I'm soo hungry Soph!! That's just..MEAN!" Shelby whined, her bottom lip completely hanging out.  
  
"OH!.sorry Shel! Ready, hun?" Sophie said polishing off the donut and getting her keys.  
  
"Yep..let's get this over with." Shelby said with an unenthusiastic and scared voice. Before Sophie knew it Shelby had her hand laid gently in the crook of Soph's arm. She smiled, holding it close, trying to ease Shelby's nerves.  
  
'Gosh, she's really scared! It's gonna set her back!' Sophie realized as they made they way to the old truck. Shelby was looking down at her feet the whole time, so she didn't see who was at the truck already.  
  
"Your door, m'lady?" a very familiar, fabulous voice said. Shelby's head popped up and she gasped.  
  
"Scott?" she said in a whisper.  
  
"Made a..shall we say..'compromise' with the fatherly one. He tended to see things my way. Someone's gotta help carry you home, .Sophie's not going to lug you home herself!" Scott said all sweet and macholy.  
  
"Oh, can it wise guy! YOU threatened to steal his bike!" Sophie said swatting at him.  
  
"Like I said..MY way!" He smiled happily, giving Shel a quick kiss on the forehead before helping her into the truck, then sliding in next to her as Sophie revved up the old Ford. Scott loved the old classic. Just after driving away awhile, Scott spoke up like a little hopeful boy.  
  
"Um, Soph?..Can-can I drive home?" he said looking all hopeful. Both girls eyes shot open wide. After a moment of silence, Sophie responded.  
  
"Only if Hell froze over." She said evenly. The look on Scott's poor face was enough to cause Shelby to bust up.  
  
"Ahh.my poor prince's heart is shattered. Look at his face, ma.you gotta let him sometime It's a guy thing to.." Shelby said then trailed off when she saw the look on Sophie's face. She glanced at Scott, who looked bewildered back.  
  
"What?!...Why you all looking weird?" Shelby asked confused.  
  
"You just called her 'ma' Shelby!" Scott pointed out, smiling. Shelby looked thoughtful, then it dawned on her. She looked over at Sophie, unsure.  
  
"Oh...uh..sorry...I ..didn't even notice. It just came out. I won'..." Shelby started to say, thinking it'd been rude because of Sophie's condition.  
  
"No! No, please, go ahead!.I love it!" Sophie said, a tear falling. Shelby smiled back, her whole heart into it. Her walls were practically non existent when it came to Sophie now. She liked that.  
  
Too soon for Shelby's concern, they got to the mini-hospital/clinic. In the lobby, they checked her in.  
  
"And when's the last time you ate or drank anything?" the receptionist asked.  
  
"Last night..can't you hear my stomach?" Shelby said grumpily. Then they did hear a stomach. Only it wasn't Shelby's.  
  
"Scott? Didn't you have breakfast?" Shelby asked laughing at the timing.  
  
"Nope..If you couldn't have anything..I couldn't have anything..seemed fair." He said shrugging like it was common knowledge. Shelby's face crumpled with emotion.  
  
"Babe..that's so sweet! But I don't want you passing out on me. Go get something to eat once I'm in there, please?" Shelby asked. He nodded his promise.  
  
"Okay, here's your wristband, for the patient...and since she'll be very much incoherent, we need one for her immediate guardian." The receptionist informed.(Made this little hospital policy up myself, not a real thing, so don't review saying so! thanx!) The nurse looked at Sophie.  
  
"Oh! I-I didn't expect that! She's underage! Oh..Peter doesn't the authority of a guardian..yet." Sophie said.  
  
"Well, I'll do it!" Scott volunteered like it solved everything.  
  
"Oh, sweetie, that's very cute, but unless you're and adult, or her spouse, then I can't." the nurse said, smiling at him.  
  
"Well, I am gonna marry her someday..I'm never gonna let Shelby go." He said quickly. Shelby grinned at that.  
  
"Ma..you're my guardian..there isn't anyone else besides you and Peter. You're all I have, need, anyways." Shelby said softly, almost to herself.  
  
"She's your mother?" the nurse said confused.  
  
"Well, yeah. Closes one to one anyways." Shelby said truthfully. Scott still had hope in his eyes though.  
  
"Okay..Ma..let me have your left wrist.And Mr. Shelby Merrick to be..since you just made my day with that Prince Charming act....let's have your left wrist." The nurse said grinning at the look on his excited face. Oh boy was Scott happy. He liked being someone important to Shelby's well being.  
  
After some waiting in the lobby for a few minutes, a young candy stripper guy came out to escort her to her room.  
  
"You her brother?" the young guy asked a little rudely.  
  
"No..boyfriend." Scott answered protectively.  
  
"You have to stay out here." The guy informed. Shelby instantly started to get upset.  
  
"He's coming. He's got a clearance." Sophie said pointing to his wristband. The guy couldn't argue, but looked annoyed. Scott for a second caught a glint of something in his eye, but focused back on Shelby as her hand squeezed tighter in his hand. They went into a small hospital room. She changed into a gown and was about to have an I.V. put in for fluids, if she had a lot of bleeding and for the dye they would be using.  
  
"Ms. Merrick, you're one hard stick!" the nurse commented. Shelby nodded knowingly.  
  
"Yeah, always have been...I just go for my wrist vein, save me the pain of trying to find it else where." Shelby said. So they had to put it in her wrist, with Shelby burying her face in Scott's stomach as Sophie rubbed her back.  
  
"Owwww ooooouuch! Eeeee.gosh I hate needles!" Shelby cried out as they put in the I.V. Then they strapped her to a board, since she could easily lose it. After she settled back some, they came in and administered the local, just before she drifted off, Scott holding on to her hand, she whispered.  
  
"Love you." and conked out. That's when Scott and Sophie went back to the lobby to call Peter and get some food.  
  
Every so often Scott would see the candy stripper with the nametag 'Walter' glance over at him and scowl. Finally by the 5th time, even Sophie took notice.  
  
"What's with him?" she whispered at a nervous Scott (over Shel, not Walter.)  
  
"I think he's upset that Shelby's MY girl. I saw the way he first eyed her. He'll just have to get over it. She's spoken for." Scott said protectively.  
  
"Oh, you tell him Barringer. Protect your women!" Sophie kidded. Scott gave her a 'grunt' man sound then smiled lopsidedly. They sat there talking every so often about different things as they waited for Shelby to be finished.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: How do you like it so far? Does it make since to you! Hope you like the way I went. Please review and tell me what you think!! Next chapter up soon, but will be faster if I get more reviews! Thanx! 


	3. Ouchies and Karma

D: Not mine, don't sue, got zilch.  
  
A/N: Thanks sooo much for all the reviews!! You guys rock!! Okay, here's the next chapter, up as soon as I could since ff.net has been down for awhile. Enjoy!!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
Two hours later after an in depth ultrasound, sonogram, dye colored MRI, an internal sonogram, and blood tests Shelby was done. It took close to an hour extra then what expected cause they found some problems. And so did Sophie...with a very anxious Scott.  
  
"It's been WAY to long Soph..why don't they tell us anything!?" he said running a hand through his hair and pacing.  
  
"Scott." Sophie said evenly, pinching the bridge of her nose.  
  
"If you DON'T stop pacing.RIGHT NOW, you're gonna BEG for me to put you on shuns!!" Sophie said through narrowed eyes.  
  
"Uh..sorry Soph...I'll sit over here." He said in a little voice sitting way on the other side of the lobby. Just then, the nurse came out.  
  
"Shelby Merrick's family?" she said and they both sprang to her.  
  
"She's out now. She'll be in her room in about a half-hour. You can wait there for her." The nurse said, showing them in. They took a seat, Sophie calling Horizon to give word. When she got off she was smirking.  
  
"What?" Scott asked.  
  
"Huh?..um.Auggie has them all around the campfire outside.PRAYING! Even Daisy!" Sophie smirked. Scott grinned at that as he pictured it. Not that long later they wheeled Shelby in on her bed, Scott looking her all over with concern.  
  
"Is this the famous Scott?" one of the Recovery nurses asked.  
  
"That's me." Scott answered, nodding his head.  
  
"She's been saying your name the moment she started coming to. I can see why. Quite a looker." She smiled motherly. He blushed slightly, but once they had her situated, he took her un-I.V'd hand and held it.  
  
"Shel? Shelby? I'm right here." He whispered kissing her fingers and then her forehead. He noticed the Band-Aid with a cotton ball bandage at the bend in her arm, also the dot Band-Aid on the top of the hand.  
  
"Why does she got more holes?" he asked protectively.  
  
"To draw blood. We couldn't find a vein from all the scar tissue." The nurse said sadly. He grimaced.  
  
"Mmm.Sscott?" Shelby mumbled, wiggling a little.  
  
"Yeah babe..I'm right here. So's Sophie." He said softly, holding her hand. She started blinking her eyes open, then smiled drunkenly.  
  
"Sssoo..tweaked out." She mumbled, then grimaced when she wiggled too much.  
  
"Are you hurting? Want some pain meds?" Scott asked concerned.  
  
"Yeah..very sore..only a little though..can't get hooked." She mumbled, her face all crumpled. He quickly went to find her nurse while Sophie took her hand.  
  
"How you doing kiddo?" Sophie asked smiling.  
  
"Never better..am I okay, ma?" Shelby asked getting worried.  
  
"Don't know. You were in there for over two hours. They did more tests and stuff than expected. But we'll worry later." Sophie said as Scott dragged a nurse in gently by the arm.  
  
"See? She's in pain. Do something. Please." Scott said pointing at Shelby like the nurse was four years old.  
  
"Yes. I see. I'll get HER nurse right away. Gosh, what a guy?! He dragged me from my other patient!" she said, but she was smiling as she went to the door.  
  
"Gonna marry that boy someday" Shelby said weakly, smiling at him.  
  
"You better!" the nurse said leaving. Scott looked like he was going to drag her back, but Shelby's nurse came in with some pills.  
  
"Here you go sweetie, and some applesauce or pudding to help." She said handing it to Scott. He ever so gently sat down next to her on the bed and helped feed it to her, then gave her the pills with some 7-up(not mine).  
  
"Thanks, you're a prince!" Shelby mumbled, pointing to her lips for a kiss. Sophie pretended to be fascinated by the doorknob as Scott stole a sweet kiss from her. She slept for another couple of hours, Scott right by her side, asleep on his folded arms that were resting on her bed. She had her hand tucked in his hands so that his face lay on top of it. Sophie was in the recliner. Around 3:00ish, she woke up and sat up sorely as the rest of the anesthesia wore off. The pain was all right. Nothing she couldn't handle. Finally, now that she was more coherent, the doctor came in to tell her the news on her condition.  
  
"Well Ms. Merrick..It was worse then I thought. One of my worst cases I've seen. Especially in someone so young. I called to the doctor that's covering your sisters case to match data and it comes to find out that apparently you mother had been slipping you birth control pills starting when you were 10.and to your sister at 13. You remember taking these?" he said holding up a tiny zip lock baggie.  
  
"Oh my gosh! She told me they were vitamins!!..I..sometimes switched with Jess's Flintstones ones!!..She's taken them BEFORE she was 13!" Shelby said getting upset. Scott tried to calm her down by putting an arm around her.  
  
"That effected her more seriously then you..but still harmed you seriously. This sporadic dosage caused you body to go 'out of whack' so to say. Confused your cycle what to do. This caused scarring to develop and now your body doesn't function on a normal level any more. It's harder for you to produce eggs at a normal, if at all, level. They could be just sporadic and sparingly..hence the discomfort you told us about. And not at a regular cycle. You'll, I'm sorry to say, will have a tough time conceiving children naturally.not medically though. But there is a drug I'm gonna put you on to help regulate everything better..which will in turn, better your chances later when you WANT to start a family. It'll end all the discomfort you've been having." He informed gently. Shelby couldn't see straight. Her own MOTHER!?! And now her future was practically ripped apart?  
  
"That's it..she's done. That's the last straw. Not any more." Shelby said evenly shaking her head angrily as tears were in her eyes. She looked up suddenly.  
  
"My sister?" Shelby asked quickly.  
  
"She's worse, I'm afraid. At such a young age.. It was too much. They have to do a partial hysterectomy. There's just too much scarring that could lead to cysts and tumors. The drugs you mother used wasn't the best or right type for you two. I'm sorry." He said, hating this part of his job.  
  
"She's not my mother. SHE is" Shelby said pointing to Sophie" that women is nothing to me." She finished with clenched teeth. The doctor nodded. He hated what that woman did to these two young sisters.  
  
"Your sister wants to talk to you. I guess she threw you mom.sorry.out of her room. You could call her when your ready." He said kindly. Shelby took a moment to collect herself then nodded.  
  
"Thank you, Dr. Green." Shelby said, smiling quickly at him.  
  
"No problem. Just keep your head up, hun." He said walking out after shaking Scott and Sophie's hands.  
  
"Ma?..Can you call my sister? I need to talk to her." Shelby said softly, tears falling down her cheek. Scott kept wiping them away sweetly, rubbing her cheek.  
  
"Hey there..this is Sophie.yeah, she is." Sophie said handing Shelby the room phone.  
  
"Hey girl..yeah..okay..little sore..Yeah, my doctor told me. Jess, baby girl..I'm SO sorry!..sobPlease don't cry!..I know..hopefully you'll forgive me one day..I know you're scared..I wish I could be there tomorrow for you..Baby girl, don't cry!" Shelby said getting really upset at the sound of her baby sister sobbing on the other end of the line.  
  
"No..I'm not alone..YES, how'd you guess!" Shelby said smiling slightly as she looked over to Scott.  
  
"She says Hi..No, not Peter, just Soph..Oh.um.maybe. I'll see, get some sleep..no worries..I love you so much Jess! Bye." Shelby said hanging up and tearing all over again. It took her a moment of just shaking her head and crying a little, her hand over her mouth.  
  
"She's SOO scared Scott!..Why does this have to happen to HER? Let WHATEVER happen to me, but why my baby sister? This is ALL my fault! If-if I'd not left.if-" she cried softly.  
  
"Shelby May Merrick, you stop that RIGHT this instant! We've been through this many times! It. Is NOT. Your fault!..Say it to me!" Sophie said getting upset, glaring at her. Shelby gulped, then nodded and said back.  
  
"It's not my fault. I was the victim. There was nothing I did to be blamed for." She said evenly, but with some emotion. She'd said it all before.  
  
"She asked if you'd go there, ma." Shelby said a moment later, eyeing Sophie.  
  
"Really?..Sure!" Sophie said, not even needing to think twice.  
  
"You'll go? You'd do that for her? For me?" Shelby said slightly shocked.  
  
"Don't act so shocked. I'll head out there right now. I'll call Peter to send Mark here to take you guys home in the Explorer." Sophie said picking up the phone. Shelby smiled at Scott. He just smiled like 'She's like your ma!'. Sophie got the plan all set up and after an early dinner with Shelby and Scott, she left to see Jess. At 5:00pm, Mark came to pick Shelby up, since she had an outpatient procedure. The Explorer was parked in the loading zone as Walter helped Shelby by wheeling her out. Once they approached the car, he attempted to help her in, but Scott stepped forward.  
  
"I got it bro, thanks." He said with a level voice. He gently helped a grimacing Shelby in.  
  
"Can I lay down Mark?" she asked with nearly crossed eyes from pain.  
  
"Yeah, what ever is more comfortable." Mark replied starting to leave.  
  
"Oh, not on my tushy is..definitely!" she grumbled lying down on her side. She slowly rubbed her abdomen too as they traveled home.  
  
"Okay Shell-bell?" Scott asked, his brow all creased with worry. "I will be. Just really sore. It's okay Scott." She reassured. When they got to Horizon, Scott gingerly got her out of the back and carried her towards the cabins.  
  
"Peter said if you want, you can come to group in the lobby, or go straight to bed." Mark informed.  
  
"I wanna go see everyone. I miss them." Shelby said but what she wasn't saying is she needed group right now. To vent.  
  
"K.they should've just started." Mark said holding the door for them. Scott walked into the lobby and all of the Cliffhangers were sitting around the fireplace. They all jumped up when they saw them come in.  
  
"Shelby!" they all said.  
  
"How ya' doing Shel?" Danny asked asked, getting off the couch to make room. He kicked David in the shoe to get him to move as well. David scowled, but moved anyway. Scott gently laid her down, with her only grimacing a little. This got everyone to frown.  
  
"I'm okay, just sore, It's my mind that's blown away." she said half- heartidly. Peter took a look at her face and saw the look that he used to see before..in the beginning of her stay at Horizon.  
  
"Shelby?" he asked concerned. Sophie hadn't told him the newest developments when they'd spoken figuring it was Shelby's place to share, not hers.  
  
"Oh, just that WOMEN finding yet ANOTHER way to screw my AND my little sisters life up even more." Shelby said tearing up.  
  
"What happened Shelby?" Daisy asked softly. Shelby almost hesitated on saying since it wasn't like her to share to everyone. But from experience from her stay at Horizon, she knew talking about it was better, and the people around her now where like her family and they would only help her and her sister through this tough time, nothing else.  
  
"Oh, let's just say it's all her fault we're like this. Apparently, slipping your very young daughter's birth control wreaks havoc on their bodies..Now she won't have to worry about being called a 'grandma' ever. Except for Danny, of course." Shelby vented, feeling Scott's hand rubbing her back. They all got it.  
  
"Ever?" Juliette breathed, a tear forming.  
  
"Well, probably Jess. She's having a partial hysterectomy in the morning..Me?..it'll be VERY difficult without some help." She said softly. Everybody was around her now, sitting on the floor or in the nearest chairs.  
  
"I'm okay. Just need to heal up. Probably be walking around REALLY slow for awhile." She said trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Why?" David asked, completely not understanding. Daisy rolled her eyes, then leaned over and whispered in his ear.  
  
"It's like shoving an egg beater up..THERE, beat it around like crazy for awhile, and then rip it back out. THEN pound on your abdomen for about an hour. Got it, Sherlock?" Daisy said. He just nodded, bug-eyed.  
  
"Got it." He choked out.  
  
"Can we have group now?" Shelby said, turning slightly pink at David's grimaced face peering at her. He looked like she felt.  
  
"Yeah, okay. How 'bout an 'I feel'." Peter said, starting off with Juliette. Ten minutes later, the guys all said goodbye to Shel, then headed to bed.  
  
"Where ya' going?" Scott said, staying behind to carry her.  
  
"I wanna walk. You go get some sleep. And..thank you." She said, kissing him sweetly. He nodded and reluctantly left.  
  
"Need some help?" Peter asked, giving her his hand.  
  
"Yeah, just up. Jules and Dais can help me back to the cabins." Shelby said, taking hold of his hand. He gently pulled her up with only a grimace and small grunt from Shel.  
  
"I'm good, thanks. C'mere girls." She said, reaching for Daisy and Jules. They each put an arm around her waist and held her hands with their other free hands. Then they slowly walked out the door towards the girls' cabin where they helped her into bed.  
  
"Ah..made it." Shelby said, snuggling under the covers. "Considering we left twenty minutes ago from a place ONE minute away." Daisy teased.  
  
"Shut-up Dais." Shelby kidded back, smiling in the dark. Just before she fell asleep she heard Jules speak.  
  
"Sorry, Shel." She spoke softly.  
  
"What for?" Shelby asked back confused.  
  
"For everything you're going through. For not being able to have a family..world's gonna miss out on having pretty little ones like you running around." She said truthfully. A rare, but becoming more often moment between them. Shelby was touched.  
  
"MIGHT not...and I don't want people to feel sorry. HE'LL be sorry when he gets what's coming and SHE'LL miss out on my children not being anywhere near her life. She won't be their grandmother 'cause she's not my mother..Sophie is." Shelby said whole heartidly. Jules smiled in the dark.  
  
"Karma" Jules said.  
  
"Exactly." Shelby responded before wishing her goodnight and falling asleep.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: There it is! Hope you all liked that! Do you like and understand what I had written about Jess and Shelby? Please Review and tell me if this is okay!! I'll update as soon as possible, but I want to warn you, I start back to school full time next week, so I'm not sure I'll be able to update quite so fast after that gets underway. Don't forget to review!!! Thanx! 


	4. A NEW Family?

D: Ain't mine, got zilch, don't bother.  
  
A/N: YOU GUYS ARE WONDERFUL!!! You reviewers rock!! I'm gonna take a moment and name my KICK ARSE readers: Christie, carebear, Many, Just Groovy, Emer, eminemluver, Leeanna, hoplessromantic, Prettyg36, Sallysue, adrianne, and JC Skywalker, who also did a great flame to one of my reviewers of my other stories who wasn't so nice, but didn't even have the guts to put their name!! Thanks JC Skywalker for the props. Okay, onward with my story. Enjoy!!  
  
AA/N: To respond to some confusement, Walter is not Shelby's step dad. His name is Walt. I put the names so close because it's just a symbolism thing, or whatever. I don't know, it was late when I came up with his name. So, Walter is the candy stripper that has a thing for Shelby. Okay? Goodies.  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
In the morning, Peter came early to check on Shelby. Daisy and her were still in bed, Jules in the shower.  
  
"Hey, came to see how you were feeling. I think you should stay here today." He suggested, looking her over. She nodded, grimacing from the pain.  
  
"Definitely, I hurt a lot." She said uncomfortably.  
  
"Need an aspirin or something?" he asked; only naming the medicines she would willingly take. She nodded, adding.  
  
"And my new pills too." She reminded.  
  
"Comin' up. with your breakfast also. Get up Daisy, you can't stay with Shelby all day. You two would have this place completely upside down if I allowed that." Peter joked going out the door.  
  
"Umpht" came her response from somewhere beneath the covers. Shelby just smiled, shaking her head. After Juliette got out, Daisy went in and by the time she was out and ready for school, Shel's breakfast arrived. The 'housekeeping' was a 'keeper', well in Shelby's eyes anyways.  
  
"Hey beautiful." Scott said, bringing in her tray.  
  
"We'll let you two eat alone." Daisy said rolling her eyes at the rose Scott had 'borrowed' from the entrance gardens, pushing Juliette out the door with her.  
  
"Feeling bad?" Scott asked, pouting his bottom lip sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah..I'm staying put all day today." She said, beginning to eat with her band-aid covered and bracelet hands. Scott still had his on also. Just then Auggie and Danny came in.  
  
"Hey sis, doin' better?" Danny asked, kissing her cheek brotherly.  
  
"Eh..sore. In my arms too." She said showing off her three bandaged spots.  
  
"Couldn't find one?" Auggie said knowingly. She smiled sadly and shook her head.  
  
"Cute, you two have matching bracelets and all." Danny pointed out.  
  
"Oh, he wooed the admitting nurse with his 'I WILL be marrying her, I'll never leave her' performance. She couldn't resist. Sophie's got one too." She commented, smiling sweetly at her prince.  
  
"I like that she does." She said softly.  
  
"Okay, we're off to grub the grub. Be good." Danny said kissing the top of her head and giving her a little hug. Scott stayed until classes started, and then she was all alone to rest. By lunch, the girls came back to keep her company. She learned earlier that Jess did okay in surgery and would be coming home the next day..TO Horizon.  
  
"Yep. She won't go to the house, not with that woman. So Sophie took temporary guidance over her, like with all of us, and is going to bring her here." Shelby said after classes were over. She'd gotten up and moved around by then going slowly to the bathroom or around the room. The more the better. By dinner, with the girls' help, she joined everyone at the table in the mess hall. She even had an air filled donut to sit on. Boy did the guys have fun with that. She was standing holding her tender abdomen and giggling while Auggie paraded around with it around his head doing Caesar impressions.  
  
"C'mon man, she's about to keel over. Let her sit down!" Scott said laughingly and grabbed it from him and placing it on a chair, then helped her sit down. She ate a lot this time, to make up for not being able to eat the day before. Peter came over then with some news.  
  
"Your sisters coming home tomorrow night, she's doing well. Complaining about stitches and scars though. She'll be with you group, of course. She'll become Horizon's youngest member ever. Go down in our little history books." Peter said smiling.  
  
"Is that really a GOOD thing?" David commented dryly.  
  
"Oh, maybe not. But it'll give her something special to think about." Peter replied his hand on Shelby's shoulder.  
  
"She said hey to everyone and love to her twin siblings." He mentioned before leaving them to finish eating. Scott saw the look on Shelby's face, in her eyes. It stayed there all through group. Just before he left, he asked Peter something, a favor. Peter glanced over to Shelby and nodded.  
  
"I should have figured." He said and left at once.  
  
"C'mon babe. I'll help you out." Scott said, providing his arm gentlemanly.  
  
"Thank you kind sir. Night bro." Shelby said blowing Danny a kiss then playing along with her prince escort, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Scott just got one of those lopsided grins and helped out the lobby. After a little walking, Shelby noticed something.  
  
"Scott, this isn't the right way to my cabin.?" She said looking back confused.  
  
"Nope. TRUST me." He replied mischievously. She did and continued on until they were in Peter's office.  
  
"Your chair m'lady." He said sweetly and helped her to sit again. He noticed line 1 on hold.  
  
"Here..check line 1. I'll be in the lobby." He said, kissing her head then leaving her be. She smiled and picked it up.  
  
"Hello?..Baby girl!..Yeah, Scott surprised me!..So.." she said, remembering she'd have to 'thank' her wonderful prince later. (Peter, in all of Shel's slowness, was able to call and put her on hold before they got there.) She talked for a good 20 minutes before both of them kept yawning. They said good night and hung up, then Shelby slowly made her way back to Scott. She pulled on his jacket with her fist till he was mere millimeters away.  
  
"You. Are. The. BEST!" she whispered kissing him big time. After they broke apart, he just smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Knew you needed it." He just said. He walked her to her cabin and gave her an extra long good night kiss. When she finally snuck into bed, it was a half an hour past lights out.  
  
"You snuck out when you can barely walk?!" Jules said in the darkness.  
  
"No..Peter let me talk to Jess." Shelby whispered back.  
  
"Oh..good, you were way into brood mode." Jules commented before going back to sleep. Shelby just rolled her eyes in the darkness and fell asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
The next morning, Shelby was able to attend breakfast and classes, as long as she had her donut. And she still walked really slow. By fourth class, she was pretty sore, but still willing to go on. Just as she settled in fourth class, Algebra, Peter stepped in.  
  
"Sorry Anne, can I get Ms. Merrick?" he asked.  
  
"Sure..Shelby, just turn in your class work to someone to grade." Anne, the teacher, said. Shelby nodded and handed it to Sarah, then made her way to Peter. He took her things so she could hold his arm as they walked slow.  
  
"What's up captain?" she asked curious.  
  
"She's here." He simply said, smiling. Her jaw dropped.  
  
"Already?! I though she'd come at dinner time!?" Shelby said shocked.  
  
"Doctor said she was okay enough. Said she'd be better off here..near her family. He saw she wasn't getting much better there so he released her first thing this morning. Sophie called about ten minutes ago from town. Says Jess is HUNGARY! For REAL food!" Peter laughed.  
  
"Well, yeah! She's been in the hospital for a week almost. I don't blame her." Shelby said, getting excited. He led her to a picnic bench that faced the driveway and sat with her. Within minutes, Sophie pulled up with Jess. Peter had to hold her back from moving too fast and hurting herself.  
  
"Jess!" Shelby yelled happily as Peter helped her to the passenger side of the truck.  
  
"Shellie, Shellie!" Jess yelled back as Sophie got to her door.  
  
"Okay, easy girls." Peter tried to warn as Shelby made it to Jess's arms. Shelby hugged her little sister getting teared up as Jess stayed sitting in the truck and cried a little with her.  
  
"I'm sorry Baby girl, I'm so sorry!" Shelby cried a little. She pulled back a little and looked in Jess's eyes. She wiped Jess's tears away and hugged her once more, kissing her cheek.  
  
"Want some lunch? You look like hell!" Shelby said smiling and causing her to giggle. Then a little 'Ow!' as she grabbed her abdomen.  
  
"Oh..careful sweetie. Can you walk?" Shelby asked, crinkling her face.  
  
"Sort-of. Takes awhile." Jess said, shrugging.  
  
"You and me both. Let's go squirt. Sorry Danny couldn't come meet you. He can't miss a single minute of class, he's already far behind everyone else still." Shelby said, offering her an arm. They walked slowly to the kitchen. By the time they got there, lunch had just started.  
  
"Hey guys! Look what I got!" Shelby said as she helped a gingerly walking Jess to the table.  
  
"Jess!" they all said in unison. Except for David, though.  
  
"How ya' feeling, little sis?" Danny said, leaning over to give her a gentle hug and kiss.  
  
"Very sore." She replied quietly. Danny helped her slowly sit down. And Scott had Shelby's donut, since she'd accidentally left it in class.  
  
"Here you go babe." Scott said, pulling it out from under him. Shelby frowned/smiled.  
  
"Thaanks, hun..nice and WARM." Shelby said taking it and joining him. He just smiled like, 'yeah'.  
  
"Here you go Ms. Merrick's" Peter said giving them both a tray of food. Jess gulped hers down faster than Danny, and smiled contently.  
  
"That was the BEST!" Jess commented truthfully.  
  
"Only someone coming off of hospital food can say that. Well, and Danny. He'd eat dirt." David quipped.  
  
"Hey, you go live on the streets where there IS no food then come say that to my face." Danny said defensively.  
  
"Hey, you leave my brother alone. Stitches or not, I'll take you out!" Jess growled evenly. The table silenced. Auggie's mouth gapped open, a piece of food barely hanging in. Jules choked on her milk. Scott dropped his fork. Shelby just grinned.  
  
"You ARE Shelby's sister!" Daisy finally said to break the silence. David just swallowed, getting up to leave. A short time later, Jess settled in her bed alone. Shelby had left her there with reading material and a new journal from Peter and went to the rest of her classes. (slowly!) When everyone got back, Jess was asleep, so Shelby made sure they were quiet.  
  
"She's exhausted. She should of stayed another day in the hospital." Juliette said quietly.  
  
"Yeah, but she was too depressed. She needed her big sis." Daisy said smiling sadly. Shelby was perched on the edge of Jess's bed, rubbing her back 'cause Jess had been mumbling in her sleep for her.  
  
"Shh..she'll be okay. She's got some tough one's ahead, but..she's a fighter. More so than ME." Shelby said smiling at them.  
  
"Oh great! Watch out! Hurricane Merrick part two is comin'!" Daisy joked, a little too loudly. Shelby had stopped rubbing Jess's back a moment ago and she suddenly bolted awake yelling.  
  
"Noo! Shellie!!" she screamed then recoiled in extreme pain from her stitches.  
  
"Owww!" she hissed out.  
  
"Jess! It's okay! I'm right here! You okay?" Shelby asked, wincing at her sister's obvious pain.  
  
"Oww! No!..eeeeh, my stitches! I think..I think I tore some!" Jess replied tears in her eyes.  
  
"Okay, lay back down. Will you let me see?" Shelby asked. Jess eyed Daisy and Jules for a second, then nodded. She laid back and untied her tie- up warm-up pants. Shelby gently lifted them up far enough to peek at her exposed incision. (A/N:just below your pant line, you'd see it if you were wearing a bikini, not too far down. Like an appendectomy scar.)  
  
"Sheesh Jess! That's big! I thought you said stitches!! Those are staples!" Shelby exclaimed, shocked.  
  
"Wow! Can I see?" Daisy asked out of the blue.  
  
"Oh, never mind.sorry." She quickly replied a second later, realizing it was rude.  
  
"No. It's all right. It's not too low. Not givin' a show here." Jess said, shaking her head and smirking. Juliette and Daisy both came over and peeked.  
  
"Eeh! Poor baby!" Jules responded, grimacing.  
  
"Well, one's a little pulled. Not bad. Some clean up is required." Shelby assessed.  
  
"They showed Sophie how to do it." Jess pointed out, biting her lip.  
  
"We'll get her. It's about group time Shel." Daisy said as her and Juliette left.  
  
"It's okay, Ma will fix you up good. She understands more then you know." Shelby reassured. Jess narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Ma?.You mean Sophie, right?" Jess said in her lispy voice.  
  
"Yeah. I call her that now. Kind of just..came about." Shelby said shrugging.  
  
"That's why she has your bracelet. You know..I didn't realize that yet.but at the hospital, I made them give Mo..that woman's to Sophie. She didn't look shocked, just smiled with tears in her eyes. Now I understand why." Jess explained. Just then Sophie was just outside the door, barely opened.  
  
"Shel.d-do you think..that..maybe..Sophie a-and Peter would..maybe." Jess tried saying, unsure.  
  
"Adopt us? I was thinking the same thing too." Shelby said smiling. Sophie's breath caught.  
  
"Oooh! These things hurt!" Jess said suddenly when she moved a little too much. Sophie came all the way in now, with Jess's bag of cleaning stuff.  
  
"Hey kiddo..need some help? Heard you got startled and might have pulled something." She said, playing like she hadn't heard anything.  
  
"One's a little pulled, but they're okay. When is she getting those out, Ma? I don't like STAPLES in my baby sister." Shelby said, frowning.  
  
"In eight days. Okay, I'll get her cleaned up if you want to catch group." Sophie said sitting on Jess's bed.  
  
"Sure. You okay Squirt?" Shelby asked one more time getting up with a little difficulty.  
  
"Yeah, I'm in good hands." Jess said, smiling at Sophie.  
  
"K.come to group if you can." Shelby said, walking out. Soph cleaned up Jess's incision and helped her to group, JUST as it ended.  
  
"Too slow sis!" Danny said kiddingly, as everyone got up to leave.  
  
"We'll stay to talk with you, if you want." Peter said eyeing Sophie.  
  
"Sure..anything you want to talk about." Sophie said eyeing Shelby.  
  
"I'll..stay too. Scott..I'll see you later, K?" Shelby said as she sat with Jess. He could tell she needed to say something to Peter and Sophie so he left after giving her a wink.  
  
" Hey meat! Wanna play some ball before we start losing some daylight?" Auggie yelled with a basketball in his arms. He ran out to join them.  
  
"I ENVY fast people!" Shelby muttered.  
  
"Okay Merrick's..what you want to talk about?" Peter said.  
  
"Um..first..um..how 'bout changing THAT? Our last name?..That's HIS name..we don't want it." Jess said, already knowing her sister's feelings.  
  
"Uh.okay, not sure HOW we could help you with that one. Your mom-" Peter said but Shelby interrupted.  
  
"That woman's NOT our mother! Mothers don't DO that to their daughters! They take care of them and nurture them." Shelby said getting upset.  
  
"Like..Sophie." Jess whispered. Peter looked a little puzzled still. Sophie just remained speechless.  
  
"You CAN help us with what we wish for, Peter." Shelby said, once she calmed down.  
  
"How?" Peter inquired.  
  
"Change our last name, like we said before. To- to..Scarbrow." Shelby finished in a soft voice, her and Jess looking up at them with hope in their eyes. It was enough to make Sophie get all-emotional. Peter sat shocked, definitely not expecting that from them.  
  
"Wow, th-that's.uh." Peter mumbled.  
  
"Out of left field?" Jess filled in for him. He nodded, smiling. Shelby went on.  
  
"We'll NEVER take that woman's maiden name, can't STAND to have HIS name already.I already call Sophie Ma..Jess'll catch on at any moment." she said, almost pleadingly.  
  
Sophie and Peter eyed each other with a look. Jess and Shelby also shared a look of anticipation as they waited on the edge of their seats for Peter and Sophie's answer.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: Hehe! Wonder what they will say!? I know, not a real hard guess, but it's a fun place to stop. Plus, my arms are killing me since I just got all these shots yesterday. I'll update real quick, promise! You guys rock with all the reviews! Tell me what you think about this chappy, if I got everyone's character alright. Thanx and don't forget to review. 


	5. Close to Heaven

D: Not mine, just borrowing, don't sue, got zilch.  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, here's the next chappy for you, sorry it's been a few days, I had to baby-sit my baby nephew Auston. He's 23 months. To clear up some confusion, Shelby and Jess want to change their name from their REAL dad's name too; they despise him for leaving them when they were little. In my last chapter I said 'HIS' name, meaning their father AND their step-dad. Sorry I didn't make that more clearer, should of put more description in it. Okay, on with the next chappy. Enjoy!  
  
A/N: By the way, I just realized that from Emer's story to my story, I completely changed how Shelby, Jess, and Danny's mom is portrayed as, and how her character is written, so I'm mentioning that now, to not confuse people. I change where she stands with them totally. Sorry for any confusion! Once again, enjoy!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
Shelby and Jess sat there frozen in fear that their only true 'mom and dad' would turn them down. Shelby started getting second thoughts. Taking on 3 troubled teenagers WAS a gigantic task. Who was she kidding?  
  
Peter looked over at his wife and looked into her eyes for a possible hint of what she was thinking. All he saw was the look in her eyes, and that was all he needed. He grinned at her as she got teary eyed as she realized the truth.  
  
" I never thought that I'd wake up this morning and have 3 children of my own by dinner time!" Sophie said, bursting into tears, pretty much sealing the answer.  
  
"You want us?!?" Shelby proclaimed, shocked. Jess let the tears fall.  
  
"Absolutely." Peter answered, grinning with his own tears in his eyes. He leaned over and hugged Shelby. She held onto him extra long while Sophie hugged Jess.  
  
"Thank you." Jess whispered to them both. She was now feeling like she wasn't lost anymore. They talked about the legal issues and what they'd have to do. After about an hour, they left holding hands.  
  
"We have to tell everyone in a special way. Especially since we're surprising Danny with the news." Shelby said, thinking about her twin bro.  
  
"How 'bout at group tonight? Think you can hold out till then?" Sophie said as she walked between them.  
  
"I'll probably yawn sleep till then anyways. Can you stay with me Shellie? I've barely seen you." Jess said in a tiny voice. She looked to Sophie.  
  
"Sure. We're doing a short hike anyways. You couldn't come cause your still healing." Sophie mentioned. So Jess and Shelby snuggled together on Shelby's bed asleep in 5 minutes when they got to the girls cabin. Jules tip-toed in to get her jacket and saw them. She grabbed her camera and snapped a picture. When she tip-toed out she whispered.  
  
"Go see your sisters Danny. They're adorable." Juliette commented as they waited for everyone to gather for the hike. Danny with Scott tagging along snuck in and saw them asleep.  
  
"We're the luckiest guys on the planet, bro." Scott whispered as they grinned then snuck back out. About 2 hours later, they got back and the girls plus Danny quietly went back into the girls' cabin.  
  
"See, they're still asleep. Now, c'mon we have chores like in 15 minutes. The sooner we start them, the sooner we're done, the sooner we eat dinner, and then we get to die sooner from food poisoning." Daisy quipped as she dropped her stuff off.  
  
"I'll be there in a minute." Danny said, grabbing a chair and leaning back in it right next to his sisters.  
  
"K. Don't say I didn't warn you." She said following Jules out. He sat gazing at his sisters, a sense of relief that they seemed so peaceful. Before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep propped up in the chair, his hand slightly holding Jess's hanging hand. About 25 minutes later Peter came in to tell Danny 'what for' for not being at kitchens when he saw them all sleeping. He gazed a moment at them as Scott came in looking for Shelby.  
  
"Now, isn't that a picture..oh..here." Scott said as he found Jules camera she left next to the bed.  
  
"Let'm be Peter. I'll take his slack." Scott said.  
  
"He could sleep ANYwhere!" Scott stated, remembering a time when he'd drifted off in school in the oddest position.  
  
"When you've lived on the streets that long, it's no wonder. I'll have Soph get them when the foods being served." Peter whispered, following Scott out. Just before serving, Sophie went over to Peter.  
  
"Where are the 'siblings'?" she asked, using the new nickname they had received by a girl in the Ridge Runners group that stuck.  
  
"OUR kids are all snoozing in the girls cabin. Why don't you go get them for dinner?" Peter said smiling. Her eyes lit up when he said 'our' and she went off to get them. When she got there, she got teary eyed at the cute site. She went to her 'oldest' and rubbed her softly on the shoulder.  
  
"Shel..sweetie, wake up." she whispered. Shelby mumbled and fluttered her eyes open.  
  
"Hey, how 'bout some dinner?" Sophie asked, pushing a stray strand behind her ear.  
  
"Dinner? It's DINNER? How long did me and Jess sleep?" Shelby whispered, stretching carefully.  
  
"Almost 3 hours..and Danny about 45 minutes. You guys are adorable." Sophie nodded towards him. Shelby looked over and smiled evilly.  
  
"Allow me." She said in a mischievous voice. She leaned over Jess and cleared her throat.  
  
"What? No more food? They ate ALL of dinner WITHOUT telling Danny? That's just..WRONG!" Shelby said playfully causing Danny to nearly fall out of his chair and look around sleepily.  
  
"No more?!" he mumbled sleepily. Then he saw Shelby giggling and Sophie shaking her head and laughing.  
  
"That's.not nice.Shel..not funny." He grumbled as he straightened himself out and stretched.  
  
"Wake squirt out of her slumber. I'm hungry." He said poking Jess. She wiggled closer to Shelby's shoulder and grumbled.  
  
"Hurrmphd." She mumbled. Danny and Shelby got evil grins and started poking her gently, making her fidget all over.  
  
"K! M-up! Stop it! Ma!?" she cried out sticking out her lip.  
  
"That's enough guys. Leave her be." Sophie said, smiling at Jess's comment. They all helped Jess up and they slowly made it to dinner.  
  
"They're alive! Los hermanos es vivo!" Auggie teased when he saw them come over.  
  
"Yeah, the Terrible Twins got to me." Jess said taking a slow seat. Shelby and Danny just grinned.  
  
"Ahh, I'll be your twin Jess. I'm not gonna let them gang up on you." Scott said winking at her. She just giggled.  
  
They ate dinner, Shel and Jess eyeing each other with a look like they couldn't hold it any longer. Especially to Danny. Finally after they ate they gathered in the lodge by the fireplace for group. They first had an 'I want' then just before they broke, Peter got everyone's attention.  
  
"Just a sec..we've got an announcement to make." Peter said smiling at Shelby and Jess. Shelby instantly got pink cheeked and teary eyed when she glanced over at Sophie.  
  
"You wanna tell them..or do you want me to?" Peter asked looking over at Shelby. Shelby wasn't sure so she looked up to Sophie. Sophie nodded at her encouraging her to go ahead.  
  
"Go ahead Shel." Soph murmured getting teary eyed already. This behavior from them was causing the group to sit frozen and silent.  
  
"Um..well, Sophie and Peter..are GOING to have..th-three new children. Of their own." Shelby started off.  
  
"Your adopting some kids Captain?" Daisy immediately asked.  
  
"Yeah." Was all Peter said, not giving it away.  
  
"Yeah, and.we're, me, Jess, and Danny, are getting our names changed." Shelby next said, letting everything sink in. Especially when Danny sat fixed on her. She went on.  
  
"To, to..Scarbrow." she finished, smiling big time, tears in her eyes as she waited for everybody's reactions.  
  
"Wait! There're three of you! They are adopting the 'siblings'!" Juliette squealed out, jumping up and down in her seat.  
  
"Yep. Peter and Sophie are adopting us." Shelby said, nodding her head. She looked at Danny to find his eyes flowing over.  
  
"I'll- I'll have parents now?! A mom AND a dad? Them?" he mumbled full of emotion. Shelby and Jess just nodded smiling. They all hugged then, Scott holding on to Shelby, very happy for her.  
  
"That'll be the first name change, but not the last for you." He said smiling down at her.  
  
"Oh, I'll keep my name, It'll just be Shelby Scarbrow-Barringer." She said confidently.  
  
"That's so amazing. You guys are too good to be true." Danny said, still in shock.  
  
"It's true. You most definitely deserve it." Peter said patting his back. Everybody had happy tears in their eyes.  
  
"It'll take a couple weeks, but it's possible. Both girls already have grounds to divorce from their mother. It's just a matter of paperwork." Peter said as they trudged to bed. Scott gave Shelby an extra long good night kiss, so happy to see her this happy.  
  
"Shoot, I'D want to be adopted with you, except then we'd be related and that's just too weird for me." He joked holding her tight.  
  
"I love you soon to be Shelby Scarbrow." He whispered, wiping her happy tears away.  
  
"Love you, cowboy." She replied back. She wasn't sure what heaven felt like, but she was pretty sure she was close to it. She had everything she ever wanted now.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: Hope you liked that one! Review and tell me what you think. Also, I'm not a lawyer or work for any legal place, so I'm not sure how long an adoption like this one would take, so I just guessed and went for what I knew. Don't forget to review! thanx! 


	6. The Scarbrow Family and The Unregretable...

D: Don't own them, just borrowing, then returning.  
  
A/N: Here's the next chapter for you! Thanks for reviewing, I love getting them, they make me feel oh so special!! Sorry so late on updating, started school and all. Been real busy. So, read on and enjoy, it gets into the whole big part of the story here!  
  
AA/N: I just wanted to add that I wrote this with the idea that Sophie and Peter actually lived at Horizon too, in a room off of the main building. I never realized that they live in a whole different house away from Horizon until AFTER I wrote this, so keep that in mind, you'll understand when you get to the parts I'm talking about. Thanx!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
Over the next two weeks the two sisters healed up, got used to their new medicines and Jess got her staples out. They went to court to officially divorce from their mother, who didn't even show up. She explained it as not wanting to further ruin their lives and just let them go so they can be happier with some one new. That, and it was visiting day at the jail where Walt was at so she HAD to go see him. Shelby wasn't completely surprised, but she was still hurt. She cried a little in Scott's arms that afternoon. Now the adoption procedure began. It would take quite awhile to go fully through. Plus, both Peter and Sophie had to undergo drug rehab reviews to show they were clean for awhile now. So the Merrick siblings were a ward of the state for the time being, which meant they would get some money from the state every two weeks. They opened up an account and just put it all in there.  
  
Over the next 2 months, the Cliffhangers prepared for the end of the school year. The weather changed to warmer temps which meant more hikes and camping trips. Jess gradually warmed to everyone and became known as the 'mini Shel' with her similar attitude and personality to Shelby. She even grew fond of a boy closer to her age in the Trail Blazers group named Jesse, which cracked Scott up with the name similarity. In the beginning of May news came that the adoption procedure was almost finalized by the courts. The 'siblings' couldn't wait. Now all three of them called Sophie 'Ma' and Peter 'Dad'.  
  
On May 20th bright and early Peter got a call. Within 30 minutes his lawyer came with the final paper work.  
  
"Let's bring my kids in first. They'll want to here." Peter said rushing to gather them up. They were all sitting at break, watching Scott and some Trail Blazers throw a football around.  
  
"Shel, Jess, Dan..c'mere." he called smiling happily.  
  
"Gotta surprise for you." He said, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"We're going to Rusty's again?" Jess said full of hope. They had been taking small visits there as groups over the past couple of weeks as a trust building thing and she'd become an excellent pool player. She loved winning money off of unsuspecting people.  
  
"No..well, yeah. But this comes first." He said as they followed him into the office. Sophie was waiting for them with Patrick the kids' lawyer.  
  
"Hey Patrick, what's new?" Danny said, politely shaking his hand.  
  
"Well, thought you might want to be adopted today. Better start learning to write your new name, son." He said proudly. Shelby and Jess beamed and giggled with happy tears in their eyes.  
  
"Today?!" Shelby squealed.  
  
"Now. Here you go Mr. Scarbrow..Mrs. Scarbrow..sign here, and here. Then fill out your three children's new full names there, and sign here." Patrick stated, pointing all over the paper.  
  
"Can they fill out their own names?" Sophie asked, wanting them to have a part in the whole process.  
  
"Sure." Patrick smiled. So Sophie and Peter signed there spots then motioned the kids over.  
  
"Oldest to youngest. In print." Patrick stated, handing the pin to Shelby. She signed Shelby May Scarbrow, then Danny put Daniel Max Scarbrow, and last Jess put Jessica Marie Scarbrow. They were all teary eyed when they finished. After some documentation, Patrick gave Peter and Sophie their official copies and shook hands.  
  
"You're invited to our celebration party this weekend. You have to come." Sophie said hugging him.  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world. " he said as he hugged each sibling, Shelby whispering a special thank you in his ear. As he left, Jess turned to her new parents and beamed.  
  
"Thank you mama and daddy." She said before jumping to their arms. A group hug followed with Sophie kissing each one of her new 'babies' on the head. Now Shelby felt a part of her at peace, no longer frightened for herself and her brother and sister. She'd never felt that way before.  
  
"Can we get a copy of these?" Shelby asked, looking at the legal paper with their three new names on it. Peter nodded taking the paper to the copier.  
  
"I'll make some copies for you." He said as he ran off three handing them back when it finished. They all three took one like it was gold.  
  
"I've gotta show everyone!" Jess yelled dashing out and yelling over her shoulder.  
  
"Bye dad, ma, you're the best!" Jess said as the door closed.  
  
"Let's go show the gang. They'll want to know first." Shelby said swinging her arm over her twin's shoulder and heading towards the door. In unison they yelled over their shoulders.  
  
"Bye dad, bye ma!" then started giggling as they stumbled out.  
  
"We've got the best kids on the planet!" Sophie said giving Peter an earth stopping kiss. Guess she was REALLY happy! The gang saw the twins clambering over to them with huge grins and teary eyes.  
  
"Hey babe, what's up? Why all the grins?" Scott asked. They just held up the papers.  
  
"Meet the new Scarbrow kids!" Danny said happily.  
  
"It went through already?! It's finalized?!" Daisy asked, shocked.  
  
"Yep!" Both twins said, smiling like idiots. Everybody started cheering their congratulations. Jess and Jesse came over to join.  
  
"We're gonna have a party this weekend. At Rusty's." Shelby informed from Scott's arms.  
  
"That candy striper better not be there like the last couple times. He creeps me out." Jules commented. Scott nodded, hugging Shelby tighter. To say the least, the last classes of the day were far from focused. More than your typical Friday due to the adoption news. The party was planned for Sunday night since Peter was bringing the Ridge Runners on a little over night campout on the Saturday night.  
  
The Cliffhangers, Peter, Sophie, Patrick and some of the other adoption people like the kids' social worker were invited. Mark came as well since he was like the 'big brother' to the whole school. The other groups stayed behind with a few of the teachers and counselors to watch over them.  
  
For the party they reserved half of Rusty's and decorated it with banners, balloons, and streamers that read 'It's twins!' 'It's a boy!' 'It's a girl!' 'It's a girl!' light pink and blue like at a baby welcoming. Everybody loved the theme. Even Peter and Sophie had 'I'm a new Dad!' and 'I'm a new Mom!' pins on. The party started at 6:00pm and by 7:00pm the place was packed with party participants as well as regular customers, including Walter, the candy striper. Scott and Shelby danced constantly, Peter and Sophie letting it slid. Jules kept noticing how Walter would keep trying to talk to Shelby when she sat down at her table. Finally, once when Scott left to use the facilities, Walter sidled up to her at her table.  
  
"Nice party? They having triplets or something?" he asked, trying to ask casual.  
  
"Not that it's any of YOUR business, but they just adopted my little sister and my twin brother and me." Shelby said evenly, not letting him dampen her mood.  
  
"So..that's cool..um..you wanna dance?" he said, acting like he didn't pay attention to what she told him.  
  
"No! Do you HAVE eyes?! I have a boyfriend! More than a boyfriend!..He's..he's my soulmate!" she said confidently, not caring how weird it sounded.  
  
"You believe in that stuff?!" he had the guts to say.  
  
"Yes. She does. Now back off before I MAKE you." Scott said, stepping up to Walter protectively between him and Shelby. Danny joined Scott crossing his arms across his chest.  
  
"Lay off. I JUST asked her to dance." Walter said getting angry.  
  
"And I say..no thank you. Now please leave me alone. I'm TRYING to enjoy myself here with my new family and friends. " Shelby said trying to avoid any fights. Walter trudged off in defeat, but not before throwing a fishy glance over his shoulder at Shelby.  
  
"He's gone. Let's go find our parents. I think Jess has had it." Shelby said, motioning to a booth that had a sleeping Jess curled in it. It was almost 10:00pm then.  
  
"Okay, we'll go now with the rest of the Cliffhangers in the van. You two go with Mark in the truck with all the stuff. How's that sound?" Peter said holding a still sleeping Jess in his arms.  
  
"Good. Did you tell Mark?" Scott asked as he held Shelby's hand.  
  
"Yeah, told him before he stepped out to put some stuff in the truck out back." Sophie said rounding up the Cliffhangers. Jules, Daisy, Auggie, David, Danny, and Jess went to the van.  
  
"One last dance ma?" Shelby asked pleadingly.  
  
"Sure, Mark will be a minute loading up all those gifts in the truck, but don't forget to clean up your drinks and stuff at your table." Sophie said handing her some quarters for the juke box.  
  
"K. Thanks! Night!" Shelby smiled waving goodbye. She went to they're table to do as told, (for once! j/k) and grabbed her drink.  
  
"Still over half left! Help me drink it Scott. I don't want to waste." Shelby said downing about half of what was there, then let him finish it.  
  
"Let's dance babe." He said after finishing the drink. He let her pick the song. She chose 'Shiver' by Jamie O'neal. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck.  
  
Don't know how you do it  
  
Like there's nothing to it  
  
You just look my way  
  
You come a little closer  
  
I lose my composure  
  
Don't know what to say  
  
I'm overwhelmed, you smile, I melt  
  
And somewhere inside, oh baby, I  
  
Shiver, tremble, I never  
  
No, I never once felt so much  
  
It shakes me how you take me  
  
Deeper then I've ever been  
  
It's too the core, under my skin I  
  
Shiver  
  
Half way through the song, Shelby felt like, literally her world was spinning.  
  
'Whoa, trippy.' She thought as she listened to the song.  
  
I love the way your whisper  
  
Slowly, softly lingers  
  
In my ear  
  
You move a little lower  
  
World starts spinning slower  
  
Then it disappears  
  
Your lips so close, we kiss almost  
  
Just barely touch, but that's enough  
  
To make me  
  
Shiver..  
  
By the end, Scott felt a little light headed too.  
  
"I'm dizzy, Scott." Shelby mumbled.  
  
"I have that effect on people." Scott joked, smiling lopsidedly. She smirked, rolling her eyes as she tried to step off the dance stage. Big mistake. She mistook the landing and twisted her ankle, falling to her knees.  
  
"Shel? You okay?" Scott yelled, kneeling to her side.  
  
"Ouch!!! Noo, my ankle!" she grimaced, grabbing at her ankle painfully.  
  
"Here, bring her back here. I've gotta a bed in the back room." Cliff, the owner said as he came over when he saw what happened. Scott scooped her up and followed Cliff down some short hallways in the back of Rusty's and set her on the bed.  
  
"It's for me when I can't leave the bar. Go ahead and lay down sweety, get that ankle elevated. Larry and Mitchell are here on call. They got the rig out front." Cliff said, going to look for the town's E.M.T.'s that had stopped by for the party since they all knew Peter and Sophie.  
  
"Thanks Cliff." Scott said holding Shelby's hand. Within minutes they had the E.M.T.'s checking her out. Larry brought in an air splint from the rig.  
  
"Looks possibly a slight fracture, but maybe just a bad sprain. Want us to call your parents?" Mitchell asked as they cleaned up the stuff.  
  
"They probably aren't back yet..besides Mark is here to take us back." Shelby said thinking it wasn't a big deal.  
  
"Well, okay. Get this checked out in the morning. We gotta go, we have a call." Larry said as he and Mitchell left in a hurry.  
  
"I need to get back out front. Mark coming in to get you?" Cliff asked.  
  
"Yeah, he's still loading some stuff out back." Scott mentioned as he sat next to Shelby's side.  
  
"Alright, Night kids. Sorry 'bout the mishap on such a special day Shel." Cliff said nicely before going back out to the busy late bar crowd. He shut the door behind him to keep the loud noise from bothering them.  
  
"You okay Shel?" Scott said as she lay back on the bed, her foot slightly elevated by Scott's knee.  
  
"Hurts some. The splint helps though." She said woozily. Scott smiled down at her.  
  
'Man, she's so beautiful. I just..want her so bad!' Scott thought as he lay down next to her to keep the room from spinning. She immediately grabbed his face and started kissing him.  
  
'I can't take it, he's too cute! She yelled in her head. Scott didn't object, and immediately deepened the kiss to the point where they were going out of control. Before they knew it, their hands where all over eachother, getting more and more intense. Meanwhile, back outside in the bar.  
  
"Mark, got everything?" Cliff said as Mark headed out with the last of the Scarbrow's stuff.  
  
"Yeah. All in the truck. Have a good one, man." Mark said, not knowing that when Peter said 'I've got these kids' he didn't mean ALL of the Cliffhangers. Mark thought when Peter said 'You bring the rest' meant all the gifts and things, not Scott and Shelby too. No one knew Scott and Shelby were still in the back room. Rusty's was still open for another couple of hours.  
  
"Bartender, you've seen the school kids around? Um, Shelby at all?" Walter asked Cliff when he'd lost track of her some time ago.  
  
"She left a little bit ago. Sorry." Cliff answered, eyeing him a minute before going back to work. Walter looked aggravated and stomped out. By the time Cliff closed up to go home, Scott and Shelby where fast asleep wrapped in each other's arms, Shelby's ankle LONG forgotten. Early the next morning, Shelby began to wake up with a slight head ache.  
  
"Hmm..where am I?" she mumbled, blinking open her eyes. Then she realized a body was wrapped all around her, snoozing softly in her neck.  
  
'Oh..wow! It's Scott! We..we.Oh.Wow!!' she thought as last nights wonderful events came flooding back to her. She got teary eyed once again and kissed his cheek, then shoulder. Scott slowly woke up bleary eyed.  
  
"Shelby?" he mumbled. She just smiled, kissing him further.  
  
"Did we?..Oh.." he said as his memory's came back to him also. He grinned up at her, then frowned.  
  
"Why're you crying?" he whispered, concerned. She just smiled through her tears.  
  
"I've, I've never...you..you were SO sweet! So, gentle,..I've NEVER..felt this way, an-" she mumble tears falling.  
  
"Shh.I know. Me too." He said, kissing her sweetly. She returned it with all the love she had for him. She felt like her heart was going to burst. She wanted to show him that. And he let her. A few hours later when everyone at Horizon began waking up, Jess woke up and glanced naturally over to her sister's bed.  
  
"Where's Shelby?" she asked Juliette who'd just woken herself and was sitting up in bed. Jules glanced to Shelby's bed with a confused look on her face.  
  
"She made her bed already?" Jules commented, sleepily.  
  
"I'm going to see my dad." Jess said jumping up and just throwing on a jacket and her shoes, not caring she was still in her pajamas. First she jogged to the boys dorm, knocking.  
  
"Guys? Is Scott there?" she asked when Auggie answered all sleepily. Danny woke up and noticed that Scott's bed wasn't even slept in.  
  
"Nah sis. Wass up?" Danny yawned, scratching his face.  
  
"Shellie's missing too." She said racing out the door to Sophie and Peter.  
  
"Mama! Daddy! They're not here! They never came home!" Jess said in a pant.  
  
"Who? What? Huh?" they both mumbled sleepily as their youngest daughter came rushing in talking 100mph.  
  
"Scott and Shelby!" Jess yelled, making Peter's eyes go wide with the loudness. Just then Hank stepped up behind her, followed by Mark.  
  
"Uh, Peter? You have a phone call." Hank said. Mark looked guilty.  
  
"I DID'T know they were still there! I swear!" Mark pleaded as Peter and Sophie came out in their robes to go to the office.  
  
"Who's on the phone?" Sophie asked, freaked.  
  
"Shelby." Hank said evenly. Peter snapped his head up then and grabbed the phone.  
  
"Shel?" he asked worried.  
  
"Daddy? I'm sooo sorry! We didn't mean to..I'm sorry! Something..happened..and ..and..Scott and I..we're here!" Shelby mumbled out apologetically.  
  
"Where?!" Peter demanded.  
  
"Rusty's?" she said meekly, biting her lip.  
  
"We didn't drink anything, I swear!" she cried out at his silence. Scott took the phone.  
  
"Peter..after you left we finished our drinks..SPRITE..had a last dance, but Shelby stepped off the landing and hurt her ankle. Larry and Mitchell fixed her up here in the back room..but.one thing led to another..and ..well."he said getting all locked throat.  
  
"YOU SLEPT WITH MY DAUGHTER!!!" Peter hollered not believing his ears.  
  
"Peter! I'm sorry!" he said. Sophie grabbed the phone from Peter.  
  
"Put my daughter on." She said evenly. Shelby came on sniffling.  
  
"We BOTH did it, it wasn't just Scott! Ma..you've gotta believe me..I LOVE him!" she finally said. The only thing possible. The truth. Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose.  
  
"I believe you honey. God knows we've all witnessed it before. Are you okay?" she asked, getting a little calmer.  
  
"In all honesty.. That was the best night er.and morning of my entire life! I don't regret a thing! Except for scaring you guys and disappointing you. I'm okay, a little head ache from..something and my ankle does hurt. " she said truthfully.  
  
"My head hurts too." Sophie heard Scott say in the background. Something wasn't right.  
  
"I'll come get you, then you are going to the hospital for that ankle..Tell him Peter's staying here." Sophie said, smirking when she heard Scott rushing to ask if Peter was coming too. She gave them a few more instructions and hung up.  
  
"Scott's afraid you're gonna kill him.. She's okay, hun. Says it was the 'best time of her life'. She's only sorry for putting us through hell. You stay here, tell the other two where Shel's at." Sophie said, kissing Peter's solemn face and leaving to get dressed. This was going to be interesting. When she arrived she found Cliff in sweats, scratching his head.  
  
"I thought they left with Mark. Had no clue they'd still be in the back room. Sorry Soph." Cliff apologized, smiling.  
  
"It's okay. We just had a miss communication..Are you okay sweetie?" Sophie said leaning on the edge of a booth Shelby had moved to.  
  
"My ankle is hurting the most..and a stupid headache." Shelby said meekly. Scott stood WAY back. Shelby kept looking to him for comfort, but he was too scared to move closer, within striking distance.  
  
"Scott..please come and hold Shel's hand. I won't stop you from making her feel safer. Ready to head to the hospital?" Sophie said gently. Just as Scott passed their old table, he noticed Shelby's cup still siting there.  
  
"Hey Shel, look some of our drinks still left." He said, remembering the dance they also shared and smiling.  
  
"You both shared that drink?" Sophie asked, something clicking in her brain.  
  
"Yeah, I couldn't finish it all so I gave about half of it to Scott." Shelby replied.  
  
[flashback]  
  
"Hey Soph..I've noticed that creepy candy striper boy lurking around Shelby's table. He's giving her an evil-sly look or somethin'; he's creeping my girl out." Auggie mentioned to her at the party.  
  
"Yeah, that's Walter. He's been eyeing her since her hospital visit. I'll watch him, but Scott'll keep her safe." Sophie commented, smiling at the cute couple dancing. [end flashback]  
  
"He was lurking around your table . Towards the end of the night. He kept eyeing you, even after Scott and Danny told him to back off. He must of done something to your drink!" Sophie realized all at once.  
  
"Who? Walter?" Shelby asked, not believing it at first.  
  
"That the little guy? Brown hair and eyes? Scar on his chin?" Cliff asked curious.  
  
"Yep" Shelby said, wide eyed with fear.  
  
"He was asking where, you specifically, were last night. He seemed upset when I told him you'd left. Well, supposedly anyways." Cliff said.  
  
"Okay, grab the glass, put it in a baggie, let's get you BOTH to the hospital." Sophie said, getting upset in a totally different way now.  
  
At the hospital, they X-rayed Shelby's ankle and both of them got blood drawn. Shelby wasn't a happy camper.  
  
"I HATE needles! And my foot already itches!" she grumbled in the waiting room as they waited for their blood results. After 20 minutes, they got them back and their answer to the mystery. They headed back to school. When they got there, Scott put Shelby over his shoulder, fireman style, so that his blood drawn arm was free. (right arm) Shelby had here wrapped around his neck, so you could see her bandage. And her casted left foot hung from his grasp on her leg.  
  
"My gosh! What happened?!" Danny said as they approached the lobby at study period. It was a Monday and school was in session.  
  
"Told you, she twisted her ankle. It's fractured, but in a good place. Walking cast for 8 weeks." Sophie explained to the group. Scott gently dropped her on the love seat and joined her taking her hand.  
  
"What's with the bandages?" Auggie pointed out.  
  
"They took some blood." Shelby murmered.  
  
"Seems her stalker decided to slip her a little something in her drink last night. Unfortunately, we BOTH drank it. We got a little out of it." Scott explained, turning pink.  
  
"You mean you don't remember ANY of last night? NOW what juicy stories am I gonna get from Shel?!" Daisy said before she could stop herself.  
  
"Oh..we remember everything! Don't worry!" Scott said, smiling all sweetly at Shelby and turning red. Auggie just cracked up. Daisy smiling like 'Oh YEAH!" to Shelby who buried her face in Scott's shoulder.  
  
"This is TOO much! It's embarrassing enough with my parents knowing!" Shelby mumbled out. Scott suddenly froze.  
  
"Oh God! Where's Peter?!? Should I be saying my final last wishes?!!" Scott said seriously as he looked around.  
  
"No, it's okay Scott. It wasn't 100% your doing..only about 92%. The drugs effect was just enough to drop all you inhibitions. Basically your Jiminey Crickets went on a break. Everything else was your own doing." Peter said coming up to the group. Just then the bell rang.  
  
"I'll get Ms. Cripple." Daisy said, bending over so she could give Shelby a piggy back ride to class.  
  
"You're not mad at me?" Shelby asked her dad as everyone departed. Peter looked at her then to Scott.  
  
"No. Now get to class. You already missed your first ones." He said waving her off.  
  
"Bye my Price..and thanks for the most AMAZING, beautiful, most magical night of my life. I love you." Shelby whispered sweetly in Scott's ear.  
  
"Love you too, babe. And ditto." He said winking as Daisy carried her out. In all the commotion, Shelby never realized how wiped out she was.  
  
By her 2nd class, which was third period, she couldn't keep her head from falling out of her palm where it rested. She even dropped her head so fast that it hit her forehead on the desk. She startled awake grimacing and rubbing her forehead while Scott and Sophie glanced up at her with sympathy. She was in Sophie's class right then, and this time the mom noticed her condition. Scott kept glancing at Sophie like 'do something!'. So she paused in her reading and let Carry finish up reading out loud. She went over to Shelby, who looked up all innocently, trying to act like she'd really been paying attention.  
  
"Baby, why don't you go to your dorm, take a nap." Sophie suggested quietly.  
  
"No..I don't want to be alone." Shelby mumbled/whined a little shyly.  
  
"Can I stay at Dad's office?..On the sofa?" Shelby tried, with a hoarse voice.  
  
"Sure. Scott?" Sophie asked, without having to say anything.  
  
"Got it. C'mon Shel-bell, fireman style again. My arm still hurts." Scott said swooping her up on his shoulder and as Scott walked away, Soph grabbed a quick kiss to Shelby's temple and Shelby waved to Jules and Daisy sheepishly. Scott carried Shel to Peter's office and went in smiling at Peter's confused expression.  
  
"Your eldest is falling asleep in her mother's class and has been given the boot. She is ordered to take a nap." Scott kidded plopping her down on the sofa. He sat on the edge propping her foot up and rubbed her back for a few minutes till she conked out. Then kissed her nose and tucked the blanket around her and nodded to Peter as he left.  
  
"Thanks Scott." Peter said softly.  
  
"My pleasure." Was his response as he walked out. Peter sighed, gazing at his daughter, shaking his head.  
  
"Poor thing." He mumbled, turning the phone to 'blink' mode and put the radio on real soft. He leaned back and finished his paperwork, leaving Shelby to snooze away.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: There you go!! Hope you like it and understand it all. Remember, I don't have a M.D. so I'm not positive on any medical stuff. Also, I don't own Jamie O'Neal or the song Shiver, I just borrowed it. Please REVIEW!!! Tell me what you think!! Or if you didn't get something 'cause of my far off mind I own!!! Please don't forget to review, I live for these, they tell me if y'all like what I'm doing to the story!! Thanx! 


	7. OHMYGA!

D: See previous chapters.  
  
A/N: Thanks for the great reviews!!! You guys keep me inspired!! Here's the next chapter, hope you like, and remember once again, I'm not a medical person what so ever, going off of a little bit of knowledge and the rest is if-y. Enjoy!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
By the next day, Shelby was walking on her cast, as if it were another shoe. She actually brooded when she couldn't go on the hikes and things with the rest of the group. Instead, from mom's suggestion, she took up a 'hands on' hobby. Cross-stitching. Shelby Scarbrow never realized how good she was at it and how natural it came to her. By the end of the first week of having the cast on, she had embroidered handkerchiefs for both parents and her siblings, each with a little symbol or picture of something that represented them. She did one for the Cliffhangers also, even one for David. Even though his picture was VERY interesting. She then sent one to Kat too. Around the third week of her new hobby, while working on a scarf for Scott, she started doing some 'math'.  
  
"Whoa.uhoh. Something's wrong again!" she said outloud while looking at a calendar. She was even having the tell-tell pains again.  
  
"What sis?" Jess asked when she overheard her.  
  
"My meds must not be working anymore! I'm late.AND I have my pains again!" Shelby said, getting teary-eyed. She just couldn't be okay for once. Her and her sister were like clockwork since they started taking the medicines. So Jess knew how late she was.  
  
"Shelby!? You're like..almost 2 weeks late!! Why didn't you notice before? I'll go get ma." She said getting up and running out of the cabin. She had to go to Sophie's classroom since they were on their study period. Within minutes Sophie was back.  
  
"Where's Jess?" Shelby asked when she didn't come back too.  
  
"Watching my class. They're watching a video." Sophie said when Shelby smirked. Jess WAS the youngest member at Horizon.  
  
"What's up hun? Jess said it was an emergency." Sophie said worried.  
  
"Um.I'm like 2 weeks late..and I've got my pains back. What if something's wrong again?!" Shelby said getting upset.  
  
"Now, don't worry. I'll take you to the clinic this afternoon. Any other symptoms?" Sophie said concerned, feeling her forehead motherly.  
  
"Um..tired..and peeing like ALL the time!! Got up two times last night!" Shelby said bug-eyed.  
  
"Maybe that drug slip did something to your system that took awhile to show up. We'll find out later, for now just rest. No more classes, I'll clear it. Better get back before Jess steals my job. Bye sweetie and relax." Sophie informed, kissing her forehead. Shelby leaned back, propping her foot up on her pillows and continued on Scott's scarf. At lunch, Scott and Danny came in with concerned faces.  
  
"What's up sis? Feelin' bad?" Danny asked.  
  
"Sort-of. Ma's going to take me to the..clinic. For a check-up." Shelby said, getting a little embarrassed.  
  
"Got some lunch for you." Scott said setting down her tray. Shelby's eyes lit up and she started chowing down. Scott looked confused, but kept quiet.  
  
"Well, just checking in. Gotta go to my math session now. Feel better, K?" Danny said, leaving them alone.  
  
"You're not sick are you?" Scott asked gently as soon as Danny was gone. Shelby looked up startled.  
  
"I forgot how much you know me. Not really, well, not sure actually..my meds seem to have quit on me or something. I'm back like before, with the pains and late stuff. We're just gonna go check to see what's going on. Probably have to up my meds or something, don't worry. I'm fine." Shelby reassured, holding his hand.  
  
"Ok. Want me to go?" he asked softly.  
  
"Nah.it'll be real quick. I'm okay." Shelby said, then went back to eating. He nodded and pushed the worry out of his mind. She said she was okay. That afternoon, Sophie and Shelby took off to the clinic in the truck. Once there, they did a basic physical and drew blood.  
  
"Shelby, any allergies to medicines? " the nurse asked, one of the many of a long list.  
  
"Nope." Shelby answered.  
  
"Drug use?" the nurse asked not looking up from her chart.  
  
"No, but a few weeks back I was slipped some in a drink from a creep trying to get after me." Shelby answered. The nurse nodded then went on.  
  
"Any chance of pregnancy?" the nurse asked.  
  
"Oh, no. Oh, wait!..Yeah! A slight chance. 'Cause of Scott and me..but I can't have any kids. It's impossible." Shelby said sadly, brushing it aside.  
  
"Never say never Ms. Scarbrow." The nurse mentioned, smiling slightly at her, planting a little thought in Shelby's head. They waited in the lobby for her blood tests to come back and a refill on her meds.  
  
"I'm hungry! Can I get a snack from the machines? Pwease?" Shelby asked with a lip look.  
  
"Here..you deserve it." Sophie said handing her some money. She thunked(cast!) over to the machines and got some Reese's pieces. She opened them and on her way back they called her name.  
  
"Dat's meh." She said, chewing up her mouth full of candies.  
  
"The results are in?" Sophie asked stepping up next to Shelby. Shelby swallowed her candies and eye balled the silent doctor.  
  
"God.am I DYING?" Shelby blurted out, suddenly freaking out.  
  
"No, no, on the contrary.It seems your..pregnant!" he said, smiling. Sophie gasped. Shelby dropped her candies in shock. Then she quickly found a seat on the tile floor.  
  
"Om-ga,..omyga..OH MY FREEKIN' GOSH!!!!" Shelby mumbled then yelled. Then she started giggling and crying.  
  
"Y-you're positive?!" Sophie said whisperly.  
  
"99%..And since the med's she's on causes her system to produce a number of eggs at once..it's likely it's a multiple pregnancy, if not one." He said, knowing from experience.  
  
"I usually give the medicine to woman who want to donate eggs to someone in need." He explained. Shelby gazed up at him then and started hyperventilating.  
  
"Oh, sweetie.breathe!" Sophie said, concern over riding her shock. Shelby nodded and started taking deep breaths. After a few minutes she was able to stand up. But she was smiling a little, in a daze.  
  
"I-I thought I'd NEVER be able to have children!" she said shakily. Sophie smiled understanding.  
  
"Well, what do you want to do next?" Sophie asked as they walked out a little later with pre-natal stuff and her results with the positive pregnancy highlighted.  
  
"Um..tell Scott?" Shelby said in a daze.  
  
"Yeah, that'll be interesting. Gosh Shel, you're so young, but." Sophie said. Shelby looked up nodding. She felt the same way. She had believed she'd be just like her new mother. Now she was pregnant, with a possibility of more then one baby, AND it was with her soulmate. She couldn't be anything but happy.  
  
"Want me there?" Sophie asked her a moment later as they got into the truck.  
  
"Huh?..Yeah, of course..Ma? Are you disappointed in me?" Shelby suddenly asked, the one thing haunting her.  
  
"What? Of course not honey?! Just..surprised! And overwhelmed! I mean..a few months ago I was just a wife. Now I'm gonna be a GRANDMA!" Sophie said, pure 'crisis' painted on her face. The drive home was in silence as they thought of a million different things. Some time in the ride, Shelby slipped her head on Sophie's shoulder, deep in thought. When they arrived home, the Cliffhangers had just finished chores and were enjoying freetime before it got too dark.  
  
"Hey girl! So, you okay?" Auggie asked.  
  
"No.I mean..Yes.uh.I need to talk to Scott." Shelby mumbled. Jules saw the looks on both women's faces.  
  
"Gosh, is she dying?!" Juliette blurted out.  
  
"No..Jules..just..you'll all know soon enough. Peter?" Sophie asked.  
  
"Talking to Scott in the lounge." Daisy replied, wanting to follow. David stopped her.  
  
"Something's up..let her talk to Peter first. Don't be nosey." He said flatly. Daisy rolled her eyes at him, but stayed. Shelby found Scott sitting backwards in a chair talking to Peter.  
  
"Hey, you're back! So..you okay?" Peter asked, getting up. Scott noticed Shelby AND Sophie's face.  
  
'Oh God! It's bad! She's dying!' Scott thought, he grabbed Shelby's hands.  
  
"Shel?" he said meekly, full of fear. Peter looked between his wife and daughter expectantly.  
  
"Ah,..well..I'm fine..just..pregnant." Shelby mumbled out softly.  
  
"What!? Can you repeat that, I thought you said-" Scott said, like he was dumb for thinking up what he thought he heard.  
  
"PREGNANT. I'm pregnant." Shelby cleared up for him.  
  
"Oh.okay..that's.THUMP" Scott went. Like a sac of 'taters.  
  
"Oh..we ARE just alike!" Shelby said kneeling down and cradling his head.  
  
"Your pregnant?!" Peter said in shock. Sophie nodded, smiling with tears.  
  
"She had it set in her mind she'd NEVER have children..and now?!" Sophie said shrugging. Peter just stared.  
  
[outside the window]  
  
"Dude! It's BAD! Scott just fainted cold!" Auggie commented, as all the Cliffhangers faces were pressed up against the glass.  
  
"Poor Shel..she never gets a break!" Jules said sadly. Jess wasn't there and Danny was being tutored in History by a school volunteer.  
  
[Inside]  
  
"Wake up Scott!! Say something to me!" Shelby said desperately.  
  
"Thank you." He whispered, fluttering his eyes open from her lap. Shelby just got more tears in her eyes. It was really starting to sink in now.  
  
"No, thank YOU. I love you Scott!" she said giving him a kiss.  
  
"So..wanna tell the gang? They're really starting to smudge up our windows." Sophie said nodding over to them. Shelby peered over and saw how worried they all looked.  
  
"Hehe..how sweet! What a Kodak picture! Let them come in. Where's my sister and brother?" Shelby asked, wiping some tears away.  
  
"Kitchens and tutoring." Peter mumbled out. Scott finally stood up, but still in shock. Shelby was finally able to hug her dazed father.  
  
"So, ready to be a Grandpa!?" Shelby said, grinning.  
  
"Ohmyga" was his reply.  
  
"He's taking it harder than me!" Scott said, cracking up.  
  
"I'll get the kids, you get the gang." Sophie said to Scott and Shelby, then walked out. Scott just waved them in and they nearly killed each other racing to the door. As they all sat down, Jess and Danny showed up.  
  
"What is it Shellie?" Jess said, confused at the group all being there.  
  
" A miracle, just sit down, I'll tell you once we're all settled." Shelby instructed as she got more teary eyed.  
  
"Okay..no way to say this but to just say it..I'm NOT sick, I'm- pregnant!" Shelby said smiling. There were gasps and 'WHAT?'s all around the room Then Jess shrieked.  
  
"Yeeaahhh! I'm gonna be an AUNTY!" she said all happily.  
  
"Is congratulations appropriate?" Daisy said unsurly but smiling. "Yes! I know it's..SUDDEN, and that I'm still practically a child myself, but I believed I couldn't EVER have a baby! I know it'll be tough, but I couldn't be happier!" Shelby explained. Then everyone hugged Shelby and Scott.  
  
"It's from that night.at Rusty's, huh?" David said in a nice tone as he approached Scott and Shelby.  
  
"Yeah! We know the rules here!" Scott said defensively. Then David did something totally out of the ordinary.  
  
"Congrats, guys. Gonna be an eyesore, that kid." He said nicely.  
  
"Thanks David." Shelby said, touched. So, now the truth was out.  
  
"I was wondering why I didn't fit in my pants barely anymore." Shelby commented as Scott escorted her back with the rest of the girls to the girls cabin later that night.  
  
"You're only..like 4 weeks pregnant! No way you're gaining that much weight already unless." Daisy said halting when Shelby halted and yelped.  
  
"Oh wow!" she said remembering what the doctor had said.  
  
"My meds! They make me..ovulate more! He uses it for egg donors to produce a bunch of eggs..He said I'm possibly having more than one baby!" Shelby said real fast.  
  
"Twins!? Cool!" Jess commented.  
  
"Guys, you better keep quiet. Poor Scott looks like his eyeballs are gonna pop out of his head." Daisy said, snickering.  
  
"M-more?" he mumbled.  
  
"We don't know yet. Tomorrow, at my sonogram we'll know some more." Shelby reassured, getting worried he'd keel over again. He said his goodnights and went back to his dorm still in shock, but smiling. Shelby was gonna have HIS baby! HIS child! Maybe MORE than one! He couldn't ask for anyone better.  
  
"Night..Papi!" he heard Auggie say snickering. Scott could get used to hearing that.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: There you have it!! The beginning of the best part!!! Hope you like it, and get it!!! I love writing this fic, but I ALSO love when people review my fics, keeps me posting faster, and happier too!! So, please don't forget to review, Please!!! Thanx! 


	8. Name Games

D: Don't: own them, sue me. Just borrowing.  
  
A/N: Keep the reviews coming!! Love them lots! Here's the next chappy, enjoy!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
The next morning, Shelby was woken up by a flower that was placed on her face and someone kissing her stomach.  
  
"Hmmm..morning, DADDY!" Shelby said smiling. He lay down next to her smiling like a lit up Christmas tree.  
  
"We're gonna get caught, Scott!" Shelby said getting a little worried when he started kissing her. Daisy snorted from the bathroom.  
  
"Shel. Sweetie. What MORE can the 'wardens' protect you from? He's all ready knocked you up! You're carrying his baby for criminey's sake!" Daisy said shaking her head.  
  
"Or babies!" Juliette commented as she braided Jess's hair. Jess grinned at that. Scott did the 'omyga' face again.  
  
"Stop it! You're gonna make my prince do that face so much it's gonna stick!" Shelby said, gently touching Scott's cheeks. Then he came back to planet reality and his gaze focused on Shelby's face. He looked deep in to her eyes. They held there, in a trance.  
  
"C'mon girls. They're doing the 'stare' thing again." Daisy said rolling her eyes and herded Jess and Jules out to breakfast.  
  
'I'm gonna marry her.' Scott thought suddenly, getting an idea.  
  
'He's my world! My EVERYTHING! He better ask me to marry him!' Shelby thought. Scott finally broke the stare and jumped up on the bed and started kissing her frantically all over causing her to squeal with laughter. He ended her torture and sealed it with a big kiss.  
  
"When's your appointment?" he asked breathlessly.  
  
"At 2:00pm..we'll miss last class." Shelby said playing with the flower.  
  
"We?" Scott said confused. He thought he couldn't go.  
  
"Yes, WE! You're coming! This is your baby too!" Shelby said surprised. He grinned, hesitantly putting his hand on her tummy. She grinned as he rubbed her tummy softly.  
  
"Getting bigger already! I can't fit in my pants!" Shelby said in shock.  
  
"Twins are cool. Runs in the family!" he replied grinning. She just giggled at that and nodded. They reluctantly got up and went to breakfast then to classes. Scott escorted her everywhere, constantly holding her hand and carrying her books since she did still have a broken ankle. At 1:30, Sophie got them out of the end of their 6th period class.  
  
"Ready to go kids..WITH kids?!" Sophie teased as they got into the Explorer.  
  
"Funny..yeah, definitely!" Shelby said, getting all excited. [Some time later]  
  
"You're gonna stick that WHERE!?!" Scott said 'bout ready to wrestle the doctor.  
  
"Scott..it's okay..it's a sonogram." Shelby tried to comfort him.  
  
"So, use some of that..jelly stuff and..use the rolly thing on her belly!" he said, all angry and scared.  
  
"Babe, it's too soon, it'd take forever. And with my scarring? Even harder! They'll have a hard enough time with this way. Nothing 100% until WAY down the line, right doc? This is the way it's done in the beginning." Shelby explained.  
  
"Well, they don't show THAT on TV!" Scott mumbled.  
  
"Just hold my hand, it's a little uncomfortable." She said, reaching for his hand.  
  
"That's for sure! That's MY territory!" he mumbled only to Shelby's ear, but Sophie overheard.  
  
"We get that NOW, don't we?!" Sophie quipped back causing Scott to gulp. Shelby winced and held Scott's hand as the doctor started. It took a moment with the doctor squinting at the screen.  
  
"Well, this is interesting. It appears to be..twins! There is a lot of what appears to be scarring, but I do think I see at least two." He said smiling at the young parents to be.  
  
"See?! Twins! Jess'll be excited!" Shelby said excitedly.  
  
"There is a lot of scarring, we'll have to wait to see what type of twins." The doctor informed. He'd taken one picture, but it was very hard to see clearly. Any type of white spots looked the same as what the doctor said were the twins.  
  
"That's the twins, that's all scarring they think." Shelby explained as she showed off the picture back at Horizon.  
  
"Wow, two!" Peter said smiling goofly.  
  
"One for each arm. It's convenient." David commented, trying to act like he wasn't interested. Scott carried the picture around everywhere since Shelby got to actually carry the babies herself. Over the next 4 weeks, Shelby got slight morning sickness, but not really bad. She also got her cast off, to her relief. She was getting REALLY big. By the time she got over the 2nd month morning sickness, she looked 5 months pregnant.  
  
"You sure you were only with her once?" David said eyeballing Shel's swollen tummy. Shelby just rolled her eyes.  
  
"She was tiny! Twins take up a lot of room!" Jess defended back.  
  
"I go today for an actual sonogram. We'll see the two of them then. Maybe a chance of seeing if they're boys of girls." Shelby said, excited. At the check up, the nurse's couldn't believe she was only at the beginning of her 3rd month. Sophie and Scott could see them whispering together.  
  
"Okay, Ms. Scarbrow, let's look at those kiddies." Her OB/GYN, Dr. Sanso said. She lay down on the table pulling her shirt up and her tie pants down a little. He squeezed on the gel and placed the strobe on her belly. All of a sudden it was like it was raining, for all the beeps they heard.  
  
"Whoa!" Dr. Sanso exclaimed, shocked.  
  
"What!? Something wrong!?" Sophie said worriedly.  
  
"Hold on.." He said getting a nurse to assist him. He'd given her instructions a second ago outside the room. She closely paid attention, only making eye contact with the doctor when she was positive.  
  
"Okay, um,..this is amazing..let's just show you. Helen?" the doctor said wide-eyed as she typed the #'s on the screen over different blurbs on the sonogram as he moved over Shelby's belly. She ended on 5.  
  
"Shelby, Scott..those, are YOURS." The doctor said smiling in amazement.  
  
"What 'those'? The number?" Shelby said, thoroughly lost.  
  
"1 baby, 2 baby, 3 baby, 4 baby, and 5 baby!" Dr. Sanso pointed out on the screen. When he went past 2 Scott froze, when he got to 4 he thought he was hearing things. At 5 he thought he'd fell into the Twilight Zone.  
  
"F.f.f.five!..Babies?!" Shelby choked out, bug-eyed.  
  
"Yes!! Looks like quints!! Has to be due to the medicine you were taking. You'd been a great donor for someone!" Dr. Sanso kidded, all in shock. Scott continued to stare at the #'s 1 through 5 that appeared all over the screen and all the beeps of hearts. He squinted at the screen, then counted each # 1 through 5 slowly, exhaling big time and scratching the back of his head quizzically, then counted them again to be sure. Then nodded murmuring to himself.  
  
"Yeah.five..five babies..in Shelby..MY babies..all there..Whoa." he mumbled. Sophie was crying. Shelby's jaw was still on her chest.  
  
"You're serious?! You're SURE?!" Sophie whispered, the only sound she could make.  
  
"That's why I had Helen come in, she's a pro at sonogram readings. She's our best eye, never been wrong in 10 years!" he said.  
  
"Congratulations!" Helen said, smiling.  
  
"Wait! Am I gonna be okay? I mean 5 babies! Is that possible for me?" Shelby said, coming to suddenly.  
  
"WILL they be okay?" Scott said, suddenly getting what she meant.  
  
"I won't lie. It's a huge decision. But we'll discuss that all in my office. Do you want any pictures?" Dr. Sanso asked. They nodded and they got 3 different pictures. In the office, they discussed all the possibilities and statistics and percentages. They were there for 2 more hours talking, before they finally headed home.  
  
"I can't believe it..I can't BELIEVE it!" Shelby said over and over. She was thoroughly freaked. But also she felt so happy. This was something very special. It wasn't intentional, and yet it happened. She couldn't help feeling like she should take it for all it's worth.  
  
"The gang's gonna go ballistic!" Scott said grinning from ear to ear. Both Scott and Shelby kept looking at the pictures.  
  
"Peter's gonna s**t kittens!" Sophie said still in awe. Once at Horizon, they found the gang at a meeting.  
  
"What took so long?" Peter asked worried. Shelby just couldn't handle it all anymore and started giggling. This caused Scott to, then spread to Sophie.  
  
"Have they ALL gone insane?!" Daisy said, frowning.  
  
"Yes! You won't believe it! I..can't wrap my head around it!" Scott giggled out.  
  
"WHAT?!?" Daisy, Jules, Jess, and Danny yelled finally.  
  
"Uh.let me." Shelby said, calming herself down.  
  
"Whoa..okay guys. Know the whole 'twin' thing? everyone nods Well. add a set of triplets to that!" Shelby said, smiling.  
  
"WHAT!?..like..5 babies?" Jules asked, unbelieving.  
  
"QUINTS!! 5..5 babies! Look..1, 2, 3, 4, and 5! In me! RIGHT NOW!" Shelby exclaimed showing them the pictures. A few had to take a seat. Peter kept pinching himself.  
  
"Dad, stop..you're getting all red!" Shelby informed batting his hand from his arm.  
  
"Damn Scott!! What you do to her?!" David said shocked.  
  
Everyone slowly got a hold to the idea and started celebrating. This went on for a little while before the seriousness settled in.  
  
"It's very risky. A lot is a stake here. My life as well as all 5 of theirs. We're no way positive they'll all if any will make it. But so far so good. All is okay now. They said not to start naming until at least after 22 weeks. I'm at 9 ½ weeks now." Shelby said that night in the girls cabin.  
  
"That's not right! They're all human beings as we speak! They're all a part of you and Scott, with beating hearts and everything! They have souls and feelings also. They deserve names!" Jules commented, not agreeing with the doctors at all. Shelby thought of that for a moment, then nodded.  
  
"Ya' know? You're right! Screw the doctors!" Shelby said, deciding to ignore that tip. She felt something deep inside that it was a good decision. So the name game insued. Boy, the girls were loving this, even Daisy.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: Did you like? I hope it is believable, the whole idea came out of the blue one day and I just loved the idea of writing it. Please review for me if you like or dislike my idea! I'd love to hear if this was okay, or not. Next chappy up soon and don't forget to review!! Thanx! 


	9. Fireworks and Popping Hearts

D: Not mine.  
  
A/N: Hey, sorry it took so long to update!! Lots of school work and now I've got a really nasty cold, which is so not fun. Here's the next chappy, please review!! Not a lot of people have been lately. Love getting them!! Also, from here on out is info about multiple births that I studied up on and researched for days so that my story could be better. Hope you like it! On with the story, enjoy!!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
Every two weeks Shelby went in for check-ups. By 3 ½ months in, she developed complications. And she looked 6-7 months pregnant.  
  
"You've developed Iron-deficiency Anemia. You'll need to eat along these guidelines, take these supplements, and get more rest. We also can map out and possibly know the sex of your babies today." Dr. Sanso announced after some tests. In the sonogram, they saw the 5 tiny, but growing babies. Mostly noticeable by their beating hearts.  
  
"Well, we can only see 2. One's a girl; one's a boy. The other three's unknown, but 2 of them are identical twins, 'cause of the umbilical cord." The doctor pointed out.  
  
"Two are identical twins while the other three are by them selves." Shelby reported back at Horizon. By now Peter and Sophie had let Shelby move into the boys' dorm and gotten a bigger bed to fit both of them on. Shelby got muscle tension during the night, and 'needed' Scott. Even though Scott didn't LOVE getting woken up in the middle of the night to nails digging somewhere in his flesh when Shelby had a muscle cramp suddenly. He'd just massage it away as soon as he could. ((my mom had those, she HATED them!))  
  
That night, as the weather was squelching hot in the end of August 'bang', they celebrated Sophie and Peter's 1st anniversary.  
  
"Aww! Fireworks!" Sophie exclaimed, playing surprised, even though she knew all about them. Peter grinned at a nervous Scott as he counted each set of fireworks. On the 4th set, he climbed out from cuddling behind Shelby and fished in his pocket for a certain velvet box. He got on one knee as the fireworks exploded in a form of 'Marry me, Shelby?' She sat in awe, tears flowing. The ground display of fireworks glistening in her tears.  
  
"YES!.yes I will!" she cried as she jumped into his arms. He placed the beautiful, HUGE according to Jess, ring on her finger and kissed her big time.  
  
"Let's do it now!! Like, really soon!" Shelby said a short time later after congratulations went around. Scott loved the idea. It's exactly how he wanted it and grinned at the idea that Shelby was just like him.  
  
"How 'bout in.2 weeks, here?!" Scott asked.  
  
"Just what I was thinking! Ma, Dad, can we?" Shelby asked pleadingly.  
  
"Sure! Absolutely! We better get right on it!" Peter said happily. So it was set.  
  
The next day they went in search of everything to get started and nailed down a photographer, florist, priest, and caterer. They found the perfect bridesmaids dresses at a great price, just needed to order different sizes for.  
  
"ALL of us? Even me?!" Jules exclaimed in shock.  
  
"Yeah Jules, if it wasn't for you to steal Scott in the beginning, I wouldn't have fought so hard and found out how I REALLY feel for him! You like STARTED it all for us! Jess! C'mere!" Shelby said at the dress store. She was standing in front of the exact replica of the bridesmaids' aquamarine blue/green dresses but this one was pure white.  
  
"Yeah?" Jess asked quizzically as she came over.  
  
"Jessica Marie Scarbrow, would you do me the honor of being my matron of honor?" Shelby asked, taking Jess's hands. Jess looked dumbfounded.  
  
"I-I'd LOVE to! Cool, thanks!" Jess finally said, hugging her big sister.  
  
"That..was beautiful!" Jules commented, teary eyed. Daisy just rolled her eyes at her.  
  
"K, Jess, size up for this one, Juliette, Daisy, and Kat have the aqua ones as my bridesmaids." Shelby said, letting a sigh out. One more thing figured out.  
  
In the tux shop, Scott was about to ask Danny a question.  
  
"Danny, bro..would you be my best man?" Scott asked a little nervous. Shelby didn't know he was doing this.  
  
"Me! Why?!" Danny asked, unsure he was right for the part.  
  
"'cause you're the one who got us back together back when I was an arse..when you first came. ((in Emer's fic.)) You, literally, knocked the sense back in me." Scott said simply.  
  
"And besides, you're her twin brother." He went on gazing at the ground nervously.  
  
"Sure. I'd be honored. Thanks man." Danny said, giving him a guy hug.  
  
"And Auggie, you're one of my grooms men. EZ if he'll come..David?" Scott said questionably, looking at what David thought.  
  
"You HATE me man." David replied, not understanding why he'd want him as one of his groom's men.  
  
"No way, man. No hating here. Got plenty of that for Elaine. Yes or no? We've been cool lately, can't have only ONE member of the Cliffhangers out of this." Scott replied seriously, no fake stuff present. David thought a moment looking Scott in the face. He half smiled a little.  
  
"Yeah.. I'll do it. Thanks man. But what about your girl? She might not agree." He asked, unsure.  
  
"Shelby is the one who said the WHOLE Cliffhanger gang, here and gone, are going to be in our party." Scott replied. David just shrugged, nodding his head. He shook Scott's hand in thanks. So the wedding party was set. By the end of the day, Shelby was wiped out. She could barely keep her eyes open at group that night. She had her head on Scott's shoulder and her feet up in Auggie's lap, who insisted on letting her. Shelby's eyes kept flickering closed as Peter talked. When it came to the share part, they did and 'I feel', when Auggie went to pass it to Shelby, Scott took it.  
  
"Allow me..she feels tired, I feel excited." Scott said smiling. Then came the because part and he took it from Auggie again.  
  
"'cause she's carrying 5 babies! And I'm freaking getting MARRIED in 2 weeks to the love of my life!" Scott said all smiles. Everyone giggled at his display. Scott then helped Shelby to bed. As they were walking, Danny talked with Scott.  
  
"So..what do Best Man's do at weddings?" he asked, not sure.  
  
"Best Man? You asked him to be your Best Man?" Shelby said perking up.  
  
"Well, yeah..It was only natural. He's the reason we were back together." Scott said shrugging it off like it was no big deal. Shelby got teared up and gave Scott an earth-stopping kiss.  
  
"Whoa..that..wow!" Scott mumbled, seeing little hearts pop all around him. (hehe!)  
  
"You are the BEST guy in this..REALITY!" she said touched. He just grinned lopsidedly. They went to bed all wrapped up in each other, Scott rubbing her swollen tummy.  
  
She'd purr if she could.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: It's a little short. But a good place to end it. Hope you like it!! Next chappy coming soon, IF I get some reviews!! Just kidding, I'm not mean like that, I'd give it to y'all no matter, just..PLEASE review!?? Till next time!! Thanx! 


	10. The Panicking of the Ring and the BIG DA...

D: They not mine. No sue me. Nada I have.  
  
A/N: Thanks for the great reviews!! I'm still trying to get over this really nasty head flu, but I'm tired of lying down watching TV all the time, so I changed and decided to give y'all the next chappy. Super Bowl is tomorrow. Go Raiders!!! Having a big party with family members 'cause it's like 4 of their birthdays. Yearly ritual. Got money on the game too. In this chappy, it's the wedding (YEAH!) that y'all have asked for. Just a pointer, not sure how you picture everyone's attire, just have it with a 'Princess Bride' medieval theme, especially with Shelby's dress since she's sharing it with 5! other little ones!! Here goes, enjoy!  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
By then school started up again, Shelby looked to be due but was only 16 weeks along. She went in for her check up and got a surprise.  
  
"They've all moved around. We know 2 more sexes. They're the identical twins.BOYS! See? From the umbilical cords." Dr. Sanso said to Shelby, Jess, and Sophie. And now it took 3 pictures to get all 5 babies. You could see all the features of each baby, just tiny.  
  
"Gosh! There's toes and elbows and ears everywhere! Look, baby moons!!" Jess snorted out when she saw the sonogram on the screen, pointing at two tiny bottoms. Once back at the school, Shelby hunted down Scott.  
  
"Where's my fiancé?! I gotta surprise to tell him!" Shelby said smiling.  
  
"What?! 6 babies?!" David laughed out just as Scott came up to her.  
  
"6!! There's ANOTHER one?!" Scott choked out.  
  
"No! He's just pulling your leg. Guess what, though?" Shelby said holding up the photos. He grabbed them and smiled at his babies. He couldn't go with her because he was now working part time at a little mini- mart up the way to save up money for his babies.  
  
"How's a daughter.and THREE sons sound?" Shelby said grinning.  
  
"3 boys? 3 sons!?..hey, I've got 3 sons!" Scott yelled excitedly. Some passer-byers looked confused others who knew the story nodded and smiled at him.  
  
"They moved around some. But we still have one very modest baby. Being very shy." Shelby said. She pointed out the two new boys.  
  
"See..Baby A was our first boy, and Baby E was our first girl right? Well, Baby C and D are our 2 new boys. Doc says they're the identical twins." Shelby said all in a rush to the whole gang who had gathered around, including some members from the Ridge Runners like Jess's boy..friend Jesse and some Trail Blazers.  
  
"Gosh Jess! You're gonna be one busy aunt!" Cleo, a young girl from TrailBlazers that had grown close to Shelby lately. She reminded Shelby of her friend Patti from the streets who had OD'd.  
  
"Sweetie!! Your dress is here!" Peter yelled from the door, getting everyone's attention.  
  
"All RIGHT!! Let's go girls..and Auggie, Danny, David..you keep HIM from peeking!" Shelby said, pointing at Scott who was still looking at the pictures.  
  
"I will PERSONALLY pay you back if he gets away, pregnant or not!" Shelby threatened as the girls all raced, (well Shel waddled) off to the dress.  
  
It was gorgeous. It was old century style, with bell-bottom lacy sleeves. Her stomach flip-flopped when Sophie held it up.  
  
"Put it on baby. It's amazing." Sophie said in awe. Shelby had them help her and once on Jules couldn't speak.  
  
"Shelby, I'm no fluffy GIRLY girl..but you look like a princess! A very PREGNANT one, but still.." Daisy said, even in awe.  
  
"I can't wait!" Sophie said through tears as she helped her out of it.  
  
"Less than 4 days! Ahh!" Shelby said, scared but so excited.  
  
"And everything is set. Tuxes, dresses, flowers, photographer, caterer, hair and makeup, reception, accessories.-" Jules said going over the memorized list.  
  
"Uh..Shel? What about the rings? I mean, you have yours I guess, but..what about Scott?" Daisy pointed out suddenly realizing. Shelby looked wide-eyed as it dawned on her.  
  
"Ohmyga! Scott's RING! I FORGOT HIS RING!!" Shelby yelled, panicking.  
  
  
  
"Shh.Baby, calm down. We can fix this. Just breath." Sophie said keeping her oldest daughter from hyperventilating again. Shelby plopped on the closest bed and started to bawl her eyes out.  
  
"W-what kind..ofsniffle WIFE am I gonna be! F-forgetting his RING!." Shelby sobbed.  
  
"Way to go Dais." Jules taunted, Daisy just shrugged and patted Shelby's shoulder. Scott came in from outside suddenly, concerned. Sophie had just finished hanging the dress up.  
  
"What's wrong Shel? What happened?" he said concerned, coming up to her. She only sobbed harder and buried her face in his stomach as he stood next to the bed.  
  
"We..FORGOT about an important detail for the wedding. She's a little emotional, from hormones." Daisy said matter-of-factly. "I FORGOT your RING!" Shelby sobbed out.  
  
"My ring? That's okay babe..We'll get one later. Or we could go first thing tomorrow. Please don't cry!..It's breaking my heart!" Scott said desperately trying to console her. She stopped now only to have the hiccups. Scott used his handkerchief, a Shelby original, to wipe her tears away and sat down and held her from behind with his hands on her belly. The babies suddenly wiggled for the first time that Shelby could feel. Her eyes lit up and she froze.  
  
"They moved! Feel that Scott?!" Shelby said, her sorrows vanishing to delight. Scott moved his hands to hers and grinned like a fool.  
  
"Yeah! Right..here!" he said pressing gently on a spot only for one of the babies to push back.  
  
"OH! Again!" Shelby said smiling brightly. All of a sudden she had 8 hands on her tummy, all poking some.  
  
"Hey, easy! I'm not Mrs. Pillsbury here!" she joked. The babies moved slightly a little more before they stopped.  
  
"SO cool!! Now THAT'S the kind of chubbiness I can deal with!! When there's a baby inside!" Jules said, making Sophie smile. They all went to dinner then, with Sophie looking for HER husband to ask him a VERY good question. By that night at group, she had her answer. After they finished sharing, Peter cleared his throat.  
  
"Scott? I have something for you." He said, handing him a small velvet satchel.  
  
"What's this?" Scott asked looking up at Peter as he opened it. Out fell a handsome gold band wedding ring with the inscription 'For my one true love, my soulmate.' on the inside.  
  
"Who's is this Peter? It looks old." Scott said in awe.  
  
"It was my grandfather's given by my grandmother. It was given to me when my grandfather passed about 10 years ago. My grandmother said Gramps wanted me to have it. I'm the only grandson. I want you to have it now. Pass it down to your son.er, FIRST son anyways!" Peter explained.  
  
"No, I can't take this. What about you? YOUR son..Danny?" Scott said, shaking his head.  
  
"You gave MY mom's ring..to Shelby. Jess got Peter's mothers and Danny has MY fathers. Besides, it's still going to family..son." Sophie explained. Scott was speechless.  
  
"Thanks guys, it means a lot." Scott said. Shelby admired it before putting it on his hand.  
  
"Perfect!" she said, smiling at her mom and dad.  
  
'They do more in one GESTURE then my real parents ever did!' Shelby thought. She still couldn't get used to that; she didn't know if she wanted to.  
  
Before you could blink, the big day arrived and of course it was precious and very beautiful. Shelby had even added a flower girl and ring bearer the week before. Jesse was the ring bearer and Cleo, who Shelby couldn't shake as a reincarnation of Patti. Cleo was also the second youngest member to Horizon after Jess. Jules walked with Auggie, David walked with Daisy, Kat walked with Ezra, Jess walked with Danny, and Jesse walked with Cleo. Nobody had a dry eye in the place. Peter escorted his daughter down the aisle proudly. The ceremony lasted for 45 minutes, out on a gorgeous backdrop of mountains and the lake on Mt. Horizon. The reception was on one of the big fields under huge white tents with a portable dance floor. They partied 'till near midnight before Shelby could no longer get up to walk.  
  
"Okay love birds..off to your honeymoon!" Jess said shoving them towards the exit where everyone was lining up to throw rose pedals and blow bubbles.  
  
"We're going on a honeymoon? Where? How?" Shelby said shocked.  
  
"We, the Cliffhangers of new and old, set it all up! You'll see when you get there!" Kat said grinning. Daisy grinned wickedly.  
  
"Go on you bunnies! But no more babies! I don't think poor Shelby can take anymore!" Daisy hollered. Shelby and Scott just turned red and Shel swatted at Daisy shaking her head. Just then a gorgeous horse drawn carriage pulled up all in white with two pure white horses pulling.  
  
"Oh..how beautiful!" Shelby said in awe as more tears came to her eyes.  
  
"Bye newlyweds! Have Fun! Bye! Have a wonderful time!" came all the shouts as they walked passed them, throwing bubbles and rose petals of all colors. They climbed aboard and set off towards their honeymoon. Scott pulled Shelby into a tight embrace, kissing her breathless,  
  
"I love you Shelby Scarbrow-Barringer." He whispered as they left to a cozy, majestic, beautiful little bed and breakfast/Inn resort place.  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: Hope you like!! I didn't go into HUGE detail about the wedding 'cause I'm the biggest sap for those things and would be on her FOREVER typing my 'perfect S&S' wedding. Please review, tell me what you think, and HELP!! I couldn't for the life of me pick the perfect wedding song for them. My sis said to use the one that I used before, the Jamie O'neal one called 'Shiver'. I love that one, but I would love your guys' suggestions of what your idea of a perfect song would be! Next one coming as soon as possible. Don't forget to review, PLEASE!! Thanx! 


	11. Shy Girl and Crossed Fingers

D: No mio. Got nada.  
  
A/N: Here's the next chappy for you all! Hope you like it, I studied up on multiple births to get a lot of the facts right, so you can understand it all. But I ain't no doctor still, so don't quote me. Also, once again, I wrote this story before I realized that Sophie and Peter had a whole separate home away from Horizon, don't forget that! Enjoy!  
  
{#}  
  
Shelby and Scott stayed for 5 days at their honeymoon getaway before coming home..GLOWING as ever! They got back into a routine again of check- ups, eating right, school, and working. Secretly from Shelby, everyone slowly began work on a new place for Shelby and Scott in an old break room off to the side of one of the hallways, not far from the kitchen and just down the hall and around a bend from Sophie and Peter's room. Shelby had no idea this was going on, only the guys (big or small) did, and some of the girls, who helped with decoration tips. There was already a bathroom hooked to it, just needed the shower and bath added and to make it look all home like and inviting. Everyone on campus just made sure to constantly redirect Shelby or lead her away from the hallway.  
  
Three weeks later, at her 19 week, practically emergency check-up, Shelby went in because of high blood pressure.  
  
"I recommend bed rest as much as possible at home, see how she does. Let us check these babies out. Moving much?" Dr. Sanso asked getting the sonogram machine ready.  
  
"Yeah, as much as they can." Shelby said with an out-of-breath voice. They were now pushing on her lungs. She looked like someone who was having twins..THAT day.  
  
"Look at that! The fifth one's moved! I can see the sex now." Dr. Sanso announced happily.  
  
"Really?! Boy or girl?" Scott asked excitedly.  
  
"It's a girl! You've got a boy, a girl, identical boys, and another girl!" Dr. Sanso said as he went through Baby A-E.  
  
"Cool! 2 girls and 3 boys!!" Shelby said, all red faced.  
  
"How about we put you on those meds now, they won't harm the babies, but help out with that blood pressure. Might not do a whole lot, but with that and the promised bed rest, you might make it a couple more weeks before we run into some more complications. It'll lessen the chances too." Dr. Sanso informed. So Shelby went on moderate bed rest at home through the end of October. No costume party for Shelby. She happily watched an old and sort of new Halloween movie marathon with Scott. She made everyone else go.  
  
By the time the first week of November came around, Shelby was having more problems. She went to the hospital less than one week after Halloween and was admitted to outpatient bed rest. Outpatient bed rest was during the week, the busiest for anybody; she was in the hospital being monitored. And she was allowed to go home on the weekends. (Fri., Sat, & Sun.) But Shelby didn't learn this until the Thursday before she went back home. She had already been there for over a week since Halloween had fallen on a Thursday and the hospital had skipped her first weekend there.  
  
"Mrs. Scarbrow-Barringer? How's spending the weekend at HOME sound?" the nurse asked, smiling.  
  
"Really? Are you sure?" Shelby said hopefully. Scott was in and out mostly, but still had school, work, and Horizon stuff keeping him away. That and Shelby insistence to go home. Sophie stayed almost every night, but Shelby told her to give it up since she'd be there for a long time coming.  
  
"Yeah, it's a new study we've done. Moms-to-be who are hospitalized on bed rest tend to get depressed, which worsens their case. It shows that sending them home on the quietest days increases their health a lot. You've been kinda blue lately." She explained nicely.  
  
"Yeah.you can't BELIEVE how much I miss Horizon! My roommates would think I was nuts! But there..it's the only safe place I've ever known that's 'home' to me. I have never been away from everyone for this long before. Well..except the one time I was sent back to my house..but that was HELL compared to here, believe me!" Shelby said.  
  
"Ok, we'll get you home first thing tomorrow. But you will be hooked to a Blood Pressure monitor. It's pretty small; you hook it to your belt. That's what's the problem here, the babies are fine." The nurse pointed out. Shelby nodded, eyeing the babies' monitors. She had 3 wires hooked to one machine on one side, and 2 wires hooked to another machine on the other side. Also her BP monitor and I.V of fluids and stuff.  
  
That night, she got a surprise.  
  
"Daddy!" Shelby exclaimed happily as Peter came in. Boy she missed everyone.  
  
"Heard they're springing you from this joint soon. Wanna be my date to an adorable girls Birthday Party tomorrow?" he teased nicely, sitting on the edge of her bed.  
  
"Why, kind sir, I would love to!" she giggled, playing along. "How's the little ones?" he asked then, eyeballing all the equipment nervously.  
  
"Relax captain, they're all okay. Apparently it's MY blood pressure that got me here. Just too much squishing on my organs in there." She said, lifting up her gown to show him her HUGE belly with all the monitors and straps. He'd never seen her belly exposed before.  
  
"Wow, hun! Check out your belly button!..sheesh..that looks..painful!" he said, touching her belly button and some of the monitors.  
  
"Not really..just weird. Now my BACK..that's different!" she said eyes wide.  
  
"Got something for ya'!" Peter said, teasingly. Shelby's eyes got big with curiosity as she put her gown down. He smiled devilishly and went out the door for a moment. He came back with a plain paper bag. He handed it to her.  
  
"Oooh..it's REALLY cold!" she exclaimed, then gasped. She snapped her head up at him with a question look. He just nodded, grinning.  
  
"Yes!! My ice cream! With?.."she asked looking up hopefully.  
  
"Reese's pieces sprinkled on top. Your favorite crave." He said, nodding again. Shelby nearly fainted. She'd had to suffer through hospital food for SO long!  
  
"You're the best!! Thanks!" she said, opening it and chowing down. Peter slept in the guest bed next to her, lulled to sleep by the monitors.  
  
At 9:00am, Shelby was sent home for 3 days.  
  
"Okay, she's in class..just our luck, it's the closest to us now, ..and not far from your room." Peter said, saying the last part to himself. Shelby had Happy Birthday balloons and a gift bag with a single white rose with a pink tip in her hands. Peter escorted her to the classroom and when Shelby stepped through the door, she started singing 'You Are My Sunshine' her and Jess's special song since they were little, then 'Happy Birthday' where everyone joined in. Jess sat shocked. Then she got up and hugged Shelby tearfully.  
  
"What're you doing here?" Jess asked as Shelby sat on a chair and gave Jess all her gifts.  
  
"It's my little sis's birthday. An army couldn't stop me from being here with her." Shelby responded. Jess just eyed Shelby tearfully. Her birthday was tough for her and Shelby was the only one who knew why. It was the night Walt first broke Shelby's promise he made at her.  
  
"Love you Jessica Marie Scarbrow." Shelby said softly. Just then the class rang and the class let out leaving them alone. Peter had gone to get Scott a moment ago. Jess held her rose and balloon in one hand, and Shelby's hand in the other.  
  
"Now, you're gift?! Is VERY, VERY special! You can't let ANYONE else see it! Only Scott and I have seen it. He doesn't even know I'm giving it to you..but I HAVE to let someone else see them. You'll understand when you see it. There's also another gift, a gift anybody can see if you want. I can't believe you're 12! Before I know it you'll be a teenager, driving me crazy!" Shelby said, shaking her head and laughing. Just then Scott came in.  
  
"Hey beautiful! You're out! Is everyone okay?" he asked, kissing her on the lips sweetly.  
  
"Yes. And they say it's better. I won't get so depressed and make it all worse." Shelby explained, shrugging.  
  
"Uh.sis?..You've got like 10 ears to talk to!" Jess said pointing to her belly.  
  
"Yeah, but they don't talk back..yet!" Shelby joked.  
  
"But she's SUPPOSED to be resting..in a BED. She's still hooked up to monitors." Peter said fatherly.  
  
"Yeah..see!? It's like a pager hooked to some leads to my wrist, for my BP. Now we both have one." Shelby said, referring to Scott's Baby Alert. Peter, Sophie, Jess, and Daisy all had one. They fixed it so that whoever had one would always be around the ones who didn't. She then got escorted to..  
  
"Well, we're here!" Danny said proudly.  
  
"A..DOOR. That's GREAT..to..what? A janitor closet?" Shelby said sarcastically, lost.  
  
"Open it." Jess said excitedly.  
  
"It's YOUR birthday Jess! You're the one getting gifts! Not me!" Shelby said, hating that they gave her..a janitor closet..on her little sis's birthday.  
  
"It is a gift for me! To see your face! Now open the freakin' door!" Jess quipped out. Shelby eyeballed her then everyone around her and proceeded to open the door.  
  
She couldn't believe her eyes.  
  
The whole break room was now a split bedroom. In the middle of the room was a wall that went about halfway to the middle of the room. On one side was a four-post bed with light to dark turquoise colored bedding. On the other side were 5 bassinets and 2 changing tables, 2 rockers, and 2 medium sized dressers with all the accessories matching to the theme. The theme? Soft, pale bears. A boy bear playing football and a girl doing ballet. 3 bassinets were light blue, green, and yellow. 2 were light pink and purple. The boys had mini football and helmet mobiles; the girls, ballet slippers and music notes. Through out the room was more furniture for a master bedroom/ sitting room and the nursery. The bathroom theme, off of the master bedroom, was moons and suns, done by Jules herself.  
  
"W..how..whe..wow!" Shelby breathed, as she touched each bassinet and then a bedpost as she went around the rooms slowly.  
  
"How 'bout you test that there bed out, little missy? Like..'till Sunday." Scott said in a goofy voice. He helped her on the bed and get all comfy.  
  
"We're having my party in HERE. Hope you don't mind, I'm staying for GOOD!" Jess said as she climbed next to Shelby.  
  
"Sure! Bring them on! I NEED the company! So, how..who DID all of this?" Shelby said in awe. Scott just grinned at Sophie and Peter and Jules.  
  
"We ALL did. Peter, Soph, and Scott provided all of the furniture stuff. You got some VERY popular kids in there. The state is excited as well as the town of Agnes. A bunch was donated. And Jules herself did the whole bathroom for you. She won't tell us how she got her family to let go of her assets." Daisy said proudly. Jules just beamed. Shelby looked at everyone and got all teary eyed.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered shyly. Yes, Shelby got shy just then. The hormones were running crazy. So, after classes were over for everyone, they had a little party for Jess with cake and ice cream and gifts. Jess did as told and didn't open Shelby's gift till she was alone that night. The letter with the gift read:  
  
Jess, Here I give to you something that NO one else gets the privilege of knowing. I give this to you because you are my baby sister and my closest family member. Jess, I give to you the names we will be naming the quints, before anyone will ever know. Plus, I'm dying to tell SOMEone! I haven't even let Daisy in on this. Only Scott and I know. Took us a while to get these perfect. We're really happy with them. Please keep this hidden till the day the babies come. You'll be the one to show the group the names once they're said. Enjoy them! Love you forever, your big sis Shellie.  
  
Jess had tears in her eyes as she read the names and connected where they all came from. She loved them all. She then stuck it under her mattress since no one was there to see. She had her rose and her 'We LOVE Our AUNTY!' frame with the sonogram picture, for now, in it. It had children's blocks A-E spread around the frame. Shelby went back to the hospital on Sunday late afternoon/ night. She was able to do this outpatient bed rest until her 24th week. Then she was permanently put into the hospital due to the stress to her organs and spine. She was only allowed up to go to the bathroom. She'd had a therapist in keeping her muscles from atrophying for the past month that now came in now that she was permanently on bed rest. They monitored each baby cautiously, crossing their fingers, hoping for the best.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: That's it for now, I need to break it somewhere or it'll be FOREVER long!! The next chappy is the arrival of the quints!! Please review and tell me what you think of all this!! Or if you have any questions!! Please no cruel flaming, I don't like those! But constructive criticism is alright. And I already have the names picked out, but you can give me your ideas for some good quint names, I'd love to hear what you all like!! Don't forget to review!! Thanx! 


	12. The Heart ache

D: I don't own them. They aren't mine. Etc.  
  
A/N: Hey guys!! SOOO sorry it's been so long since I updated. I got REALLY SERIOUSLY sick. Like almost in the hospital. I had a bad reaction to a vaccination shot I got for this Meningitis like disease that I had to get 'cause I already have a medical condition and I'm a full time college student. I don't know, whatever it is, I got REAL sick from it!! But I'm back, and here's the next chappy, hopefully I'll get some reviews from some of my loyal reviewers. I haven't been getting a lot, so PLEASE PLEASE review!! I'd really appreciate it!! On with the story, enjoy!  
  
{#}  
  
Shelby spent most of her time during the days by herself knitting (aww, the motherly things!!) since she had nothing else to do. She made 5 small blankets with the first initials of each baby on the bottom corner. The boys were blue, green, and yellow. The girls were pink and purple. She read baby books and magazines and wrote constantly in her journal or letters to Scott, family, and the Cliffhangers and other students. They came as often as possible, and got arrangements to have Thanksgiving at the hospital. By then she was laying completely on her left side, no more bathroom breaks, on 100% bedrest. She was now at 26 ½ weeks, going longer than a lot of other recorded multiple pregnancies. Just after Thanksgiving they threw her a baby shower, and she got TONS of stuff for the quints. Even from the city and state since she was making Agnes very popular with her pregnancy. She'd already given statements and little interviews to a few local newspapers and radiostations, with her parents approval of course. They didn't want anyone to miss treat their privilege of getting to interview her.  
  
At her baby shower, Shelby wasn't so comfy anymore, so it was tough. She kept grimacing at times and Scott would rub her back or stomach to calm her down. Her blood pressure was slightly elevated; with each passing week, it had slowly elevated. Kat came and sat next to her head when she saw her face all pinched up at the party. Kat sat next to her, holding her hand, and softly stroking her hair whispering.  
  
"Shh.it's okay Shel. Just focus on my voice. Stay calm..no worries..you're doing fine.." Kat would said gently. Jess rubbed her back, just trying to lend her support. Then Shelby would calm down and get over the moment. It was like very early contractions. From her state during the party, by that night, the doctors put her on the medicine to keep her from going into labor. Scott and Sophie now stayed at the hospital 24-7. They gave their pagers to Daisy and Jules/Auggie, who traded off. Shelby mostly rested in little intervals, no longer on a day/night schedule. The drugs helped and she was more relaxed to play word puzzle games and cards with Scott and Sophie. Sophie documented all the cute and important moments on Scott's new 'Daddy Cam' from Kat.  
  
It was starting to get real close now. Shelby and the babies' stats were indicating it left and right. On December 6th, Dr. Sanso grew concerned.  
  
"Baby B, the first girl that became hidden after the twins moved around, she's back out closer and we're concerned about her heart. It's showing an irregularity. Don't panic, it could be as simple as a murmur, we can't know anything more 'till she's born. But she's marked in the critical watch zone now. We'll have to be on constant watch with her progress from now on. Any sign, and we'll have to do something about it. But, let me tell you, it sure looks like her siblings are trying to take care of her. She's got the most room." Dr. Sanso explaining, cracking a smile. Shelby was in tears.  
  
"Mama! One of my baby girls is in danger!" Shelby said scared. Sophie held her hand motherly, stroking Shelby's forehead to calm her. Scott picked up the rosary Auggie had given them and placed it on Shelby's belly right over the spot where Baby B was at. They knew because now the babies didn't move from where they were at anymore. He felt a little heal as he held his hand over her tummy. He cracked a smile.  
  
"She's tough. Like her mom." He said softly, gazing at the heart monitors. They could tell then which one was hers. It wasn't a normal rhythm. They watched, listening closest to that one over the next few days.  
  
  
  
When, on the early morning hours of the 10th, Baby B's heart started to drop, the rest of the babies peaked higher causing Shelby's blood pressure to skyrocket.  
  
"Scott! Scott! Something's wrong! Mama!" Shelby cried hoarsely. She had been listening to Baby B the last hour. She had had a mother's intuition to be awake. Sophie and Scott woke from their slumber just as a night nurse came in.  
  
"I'll call Dr. Sanso, but I think we'll have to go and get 'em today sweetie. Baby B's in distress and her brothers and sister are trying to help her. They'll deliberately put you in labor for that. We've seen it before with triplets." She informed fiddling with the monitors.  
  
"It's so soon!" Shelby said whispishly, eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"You've made it a lot longer then a lot of quintuplets. Most have gone into labor up to a month ago." The nurse replied.  
  
"You're 29 ½ weeks Shel! That's good." Scott reassured, holding her hand.  
  
"And they're all basically healthy. Just very uncomfortable." Sophie said, trying to give her daughter some confidence. Shelby nodded, but still had some tears in her eyes as she glanced down at her belly.  
  
"C'mon baby girl, stay with us." Shelby whispered rubbing Baby B's location. She felt a slightly slow kick. Like she was trying to get help. Suddenly, Shelby felt something deep inside her gut, the pit of her stomach. She got wide eyed and gasped.  
  
"She's in trouble! Let's go! She's in trouble, I can feel it! Please!" Shelby cried, getting upset, her blood pressure rising even more. On the heart monitors you could barely hear Baby B's heart beat. The nurse saw the look in Shelby's eyes and believed her.  
  
"I'll call the doctor attending today. Dr. Sanso will be here ASAP. Hang on Shelby." The nurse said rushing out. Due to her high BP, Shelby was slightly out of it, whimpering and crying now to Scott and Sophie.  
  
"Shhh..it's okay babe, they're gonna help her." Scott tried to soothe, rubbing her shoulder. Sophie grabbed the phone and dialed the pager number.  
  
Back at home, 2 beepers went off in the boys' dorm and 2 went off in the girls' dorm. Peter bolted awake as his did also. He called back for information, while scrambling to get dressed. In the dorms, all the Cliffhangers did the same. They all made it to the meet spot in the lobby.  
  
"One of the girls, Baby B, the first girl, her hearts giving out. Her siblings are putting up a ruckus to save her, causing Shelby's BP to hit the roof. Shel's going into surgery. Shelby's freaked too. She knows something's wrong." Peter relayed as they piled into the Explorer.  
  
One seat short.  
  
"Hey!..She's MY twin sister!" Danny said not leaving. David climbed back out.  
  
"I'll stay. Someone's gotta inform the kids what's going on. And I don't need to be there. Any instructions?" David asked.  
  
"Call the phone list. It's pinned to my board in my office." Peter said.  
  
"Aye-aye captain." David said saluting, then turned back into the darkness to the office. They sped away to the hospital.  
  
  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: Hope you like it!! Gotta leave it here, it's too good of a cliffhanger not too!! Please review and tell me what you think!! Next chappy, here come the babies!! Thanx! 


	13. The Arrivals: Hopes and Prayers

D: Not mine, cause I'd still have them on air!  
  
A/N: Thanks to hoplessromanitc and Kelly for reviewing the last chappy. Love when I get the reviews!! Here's the next chapter, the one y'all want, the babies are coming! This is dedicated to the astronauts of the Columbia for their brave journey, may they always be in our memories.  
  
{#}  
  
  
  
Peter and the Cliffhangers arrived at the hospital in 15 minutes when it was supposed to take 40 minutes. No one complained though. They got there just as Dr. Sanso did. Peter and the gang were just outside the door as they wheeled Shelby out.  
  
"Shellie?! Hang in there!" Jess said.  
  
"Jess! Danny! She's in trouble!" Shelby said in a hoarse voice when she saw her siblings as she passed by.  
  
"Nah, she just wants some attention. She'll be fine Shelby." Daisy said from behind her. Shelby actually stopped whimpering for a moment focusing on the comment.  
  
"Daisy must be here." She said, with a twitch of a smile. But her face was bright red and she was breathing heavily. They wheeled her quickly to the O.R.  
  
"Jess.wait.you guys! Promise to stay with your baby! Jess, tell them! No names, just their baby!" Shelby said quickly, knowing that Scott and Sophie would be with her in the O.R., when the babies left one by one, someone had to follow them.  
  
"I promise. And mim on the names." Jess promised, holding her letter. They wheeled her into the doors where no one could pass through. Scott and Sophie were directed to the changing room and given scrub jump suits to wear with booties, hats, and masks. Peter and the gang stayed outside in the hall just as Kat and her beau Hank showed up.  
  
"She okay? The babies?" Kat said out of breath.  
  
"She's got real high blood pressure 'cause 4 of the babies are in an uproar over one of the girls; Baby B's heart rate has dropped." Danny relayed.  
  
Sophie and Scott were situated in the room, Sophie with the camera, at Shelby's head. The place was loaded with doctors, nurses, and specialists. There must have been over 30 personal in there. Within 10 minutes after the drugs took effect they almost had baby # 1. From the latest sonogram, the doctor knew where each baby was located and knew which one would come first and next.  
  
"Okay Shelby,..here comes you first baby..it's a girl!" Dr. Sanso said pulling out an impossibly tiny baby. She barely whimpered. He kept going. The most distressed baby, Baby B, was also the farthest.  
  
"Okay..Shel..hold on.." Scott said, eyes wide with fear. He looked back and forth to his first born and to his wife.  
  
"S-she okay?" Shelby whispered through a trembling chin. Scott leaned and tried to see as much as possible.  
  
"She's tiny..the smallest little baby..but she's wiggling and pinkish..they're putting a tube down her throat." He informed, not beating around the bush with her. He knew that's what she'd wanted.  
  
"Daddy! Come cut the chord!" a nurse yelled.  
  
"I'll be right back!" Scott said, stroking Shelby's cheek then went over to them and gingerly cut the chord. He just turned around when.  
  
"Okay, next baby..it's a boy!" Dr. Sanso said, passing the second baby off, but just seconds later before he got the next baby.  
  
"It's another boy! The identicals!" he said, passing him off. But he had to ungrasp a tiny fist from the chord.  
  
"The identicals won't let go of each other!" a nurse commented giggling. Scott stood amazed as they worked on the next two babies near by him.  
  
"Doctor! They appear to have T.T.T.S.!" a nurse yelled over her shoulder as she worked on the first of the boys.  
  
"Transfuse and compensate." He yelled back, still working on the next baby.  
  
[a/n: T.T.T.S. is Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. It means one baby, usually the bigger one, was feeding off of the smaller one's blood and nourishment. My twin sis and I had the same thing. The smaller baby has less than 1/3 off their normal blood and needs a blood transfusion to survive; the bigger one, because they took all that blood, caused them to go severally jaundice, so they have to be cooked under the ultra violet light for a day or so. It happens a lot in identical twins, but if not caught in time, and the babies go to full term, the littler one would be still born, like I would have been if we didn't come 6 ½ weeks early.]  
  
Just then the nurses started to bring the first girl out. As the doors opened, Jess saw a 'Baby E' pink sign on the incubator.  
  
"Baby Girl E? Daisy, that's your baby, go!" Jess said, looking up at the sky for a second to say a quick prayer. Then she focused back on the door. Kat handed a pink plastic-y rosary to Daisy as she quickly followed the nurses and incubator down the hall to the NICU. The nurses allowed it due to arrangements Shelby had made earlier in the pregnancy.  
  
Inside, Scott just finished cutting the two boys chords, just after the nurses put them on ventilators, when the next baby came out.  
  
"It's a boy! The biggest one!" Dr. Sanso announced, passing him over to a nurse. He actually cried a bunch compared to his siblings. Shelby smiled through tears as her chin trembled.  
  
"I hear him!" she said hoarsely. But she could sure breathe better!  
  
"Get my girl! She's in trouble!" Shelby said urgently. The doctor nodded towards the specialists to be ready. Just then the first of the identical boys left in a hurry. Out the door, Jess saw the green Baby C and yelled for Peter to move it. He left, grabbing the green rosary from Kat, just as the other identical boy came out, more slowly, with a yellow Baby D on it.  
  
"Jules! Auggie! He's yours!" Jess hollered at them. They both looked wide-eyed and high tailed it after him, barely catching the yellow and green rosary's Kat tossed at them.  
  
They eventually put the last boy, Baby A, on a ventilator and prepared him to leave once Scott cut his chord. Shelby barely saw him as the doctor said he had Baby B.  
  
"Here it comes..it's a girl!" he said, immediately handing her to the awaiting nurses.  
  
"She okay? Scott!? Tell me she's okay!?" Shelby cried worriedly. He nodded and stayed close by her, watching as even more nurses and specialists worked on his tiny daughter.  
  
Right then, the doors opened and out went the incubator with a blue Baby A on it. Jess noted this and looked at Danny.  
  
"He's mine?" Danny said smiling.  
  
"Me and you. But I gotta stay a little longer. Go!" Jess said quickly and handed him the blue rosary and turned back to the door. Only she, Kat, and Hank were left. Kat only had a purple rosary left.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
{just kidding! Chapters not over!! Muahahaha! I'm so mean!}  
  
Meanwhile, they hooked Baby B up to monitors and a ventilator and stuff. Scott cut his last child's chord as they whizzed her by Shelby.  
  
"They have to go Shel, but she looks real pink and I saw her open her eyes a bunch. Especially to my voice." Scott said sitting with her once again. He had tears in his eyes.  
  
As the doors opened Jess looked at all the special equipment and extra nurses surrounding the purple Baby B incubator and looked up to Kat.  
  
"Keep an extra eye on her. She's all yours." Jess said softly, finally letting the tears flow. After a few moments of being all by herself, she left slowly down the hall to the NICU and her 'baby'. She joined Danny and the rest of them outside the window as they kept an eye on each of their babies and waited until the nurses let them in to sit by them.  
  
They finished up with Shelby and wheeled her into Recovery.  
  
"Mama, go check on them..Please." Shelby said weakly. She had oxygen in her nose, 2 IVs in each arm with fluids, medicine, and blood. Scott sat right by her side until she said it was all right to go see their babies.  
  
"Soph got it all on tape?" Shelby mumbled.  
  
"Yeah, and I could see Jess order each guardian to each of our babies." Scott said, stroking her cheek softly.  
  
"Okay..I'm so tired..wake me when you know anything." Shelby said konking out. Scott took a deep breath then, gazing at this remarkable person who HE was married to then looked down to the ground as more tears of ALL kinds of emotions came pouring slowly out. Happy, fear, amazement, scared, shocked, he couldn't keep track. He was a daddy now, but he still might lose them. He silently said a prayer as he took Shelby's hand and held it firmly in his grasp, waiting for what was to come.  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: I know, I still ended it with stuff up in the air. I'll update REALLY soon, but it's VERY late and I have church in the morning!! PLEASE review and tell me what you all think. It'll make me post faster!! And I'd still like to hear if you have any ideas for names, I always love to see what you all like and think of. Thanx! 


	14. Meet the Babies

D: Mine, it is not. Sue, me do not.  
  
A/N: First off, to hiduh, the whole point of a review is CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM not an all out trashing. And for you information, I WAS correct about what I said with the eggs being produced. ANY obstetrician says the 'release' of egg(s) as PRODUCING eggs, as in when the egg leaves the ovaries and travels through the fallopian tubes. Of course more then one can leave at one time! HELLO!?!? Where do you think fraternal twins or natural triplets comes from?? So I believe YOU'RE the one who needs to get a few facts straight! And as for the periods? Those are pause moments, but when you upload them up onto the ff.net from your word processor they appear as periods, and not pauses. So back off!! Next time I'd appreciate reviews that WEREN'T backed up by someone who ISN'T educated in what they are 'criticizing' about. And also someone who KNOWS how to spell!!! THANKS.  
  
A/N: OKAY! Now that THAT is off my chest, here's your next chappy guys!! Hope you like!! In this one, you finally get to meet the babies and learn their names!! Enjoy!  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO MANDY!!! THANKS SO MUCH GIRL FOR THE BACK UP AND TELLING MY 'FAVORITE ADMIRER' OFF FOR ME! LOVE YA' FOR IT!! HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TOO! HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON!!!!! YOU'RE THE BEST!!!  
  
PS: I also give this chapter in memory of my little hamster, he died, (Right in my hands!!) this past week. May Beau rest in peace. Thanx.  
  
{#}  
Down in the N.I.C.U. Sophie went in to check on the babies just as her daughter asked. She was allowed to videotape as she went in to see each baby. The first four were all closer together. Baby A with a temperature control light, oxygen ventilator, heart monitor, and an I.V. in their arm and foot with a pulse ox on the other foot laying naked except a diaper. Baby C had ditto but also an I.V. in the head for the blood transfusion. Baby D was the same as Baby A, but had shades on and was under an ultra violet light. Baby E was just like Baby A. Baby B was separated more, hooked to the same things as Baby A, but had more heart monitors and specialists around her. One was listening to her heart constantly. Sophie spent almost 45 minutes down there before going back to the recovery room.  
  
"Shelby..babe..wake up." Scott said to Sophie's protests.  
  
"She told me to..I promised." He answered as Shelby came to.  
  
"Mm..my babies?" she said sleepily.  
  
"First girl and last boy are doing great, twin boys: Baby C had a blood transfusion and is fine, Baby D is under violet lights for jaundice, but is doing fine. Last girl, Baby B, she's doing..okay. She's hooked to a lot of monitors and they have all these specialists around her..but she's doing okay." Sophie informed smiling down at her daughter.  
  
"I wanna see." Shelby said, tears in her eyes. Sophie looked at Scott worried, but got the video ready to replay the footage back through the viewer.  
  
"They're tiny, Shel. They have lots of tubes and stuff helping them. Don't be frightened." Sophie warned as she showed the tape to Shelby.  
  
"Ahhh! My poor babies! Scott! Go down there! I'm fine..go be with our babies!" Shelby said, practically shoving him. He looked perplexed, but jumped up, kissed her a long good bye.  
  
"Thank you for a beautiful family. I love you." He said softly then left.  
  
"Love you too. Take care of them." He heard her say. Sophie leaned in showing her the film again and started narrating the film to her.  
  
"Here's Baby E.." Sophie relayed, pointing. Shelby saw each 'guardian' right next to them. ((a/n:I know, not really allowed in a hospital, but it works for the story line of the guardians.))  
  
Scott got to the nursery wing, with his five bracelets on, and paused just outside the regular nursery window. Two dads stood outside with their one bracelet smiling.  
  
"New son.. He had a daughter. You?" One of the fathers said. "Oh..2 daughters and 3 sons." Scott answered evenly nodding. The two dads looked shocked for a whole minute.  
  
"Yeah, quints..do you know which way is the N.I.C.U.?" Scott said like it was any other question.  
  
"Over there man..and Congrats!" the father of the daughter said in shock.  
  
"Yeah..thanks, same to you both." Scott said, ruffling his hair revealing his 5 bands, 2 pink and 3 blue. After he left the two new fathers looked at each other bewildered.  
  
"Damn! 5?!" one said giggling.  
  
"Must be tiny..gonna need an extra prayer..or 5!" the other one answered. Both men nodded looking back to their kids. In the N.I.C. U. Scott went to each one of his babies, spending some time with each and getting a hug from everyone. At Baby B's he got her up-date.  
  
"She has a murmur that suggests a small hole. We're not sure yet how big, won't know for a week or so. We're just gonna monitor her VERY closely. You have some real healthy babies here Mr. Barringer, considering how early they are. A lot better than a lot of multiple births. And you also set a record. These quints are the first live born quints in this state. Congratulations son." The heart specialist, Dr. Kale said. Scott nodded, smiling. Peter came up to him then.  
  
"How's Shelby?" he asked.  
  
"Worried as hell. But okay. Soph's showing her the video." Scott informed.  
  
"The doc's got a Polaroid camera. Take pictures of the babies to give to her 'till she can see them. And their weights and stuff. She'll love it." Peter suggested. So Scott took five pictures and wrote on the bottom all the stats of the babies. They also did foot prints of all the babies for their official records, so he got 10 tiny footprints on a paper scrub top he put on. He happily went back up stairs to his wife who was in a regular room now.  
  
"Look babe!" he said happily pointing to the collage of footprints with Baby A-E by pairs.  
  
"And here's pictures..Baby E girl, born at 4:50 am at 2lbs. 7oz. and 17 inches long. Baby C boy, born at 4:55 am at 2lbs. 1oz. and 16 inches long. Baby D boy, born at 4:58 am at 2lbs. 3oz. and 16 inches. Baby A boy, born at 5:01 am at 2lbs. 10oz. and 17 inches long, our biggest. And Baby B girl, born at 5:07am at 2lbs. 5 oz. and 16 ½ inches. You had a total of 11lbs. 11oz. of baby in you!" he announced holding all 5 pictures up for her to see.  
  
"They're all doing okay?" Shelby asked still teary eyed.  
  
"Yeah..and they now know about Baby B. She has a positive heart murmur, they say it could be a small hole..they'll need to monitor her constantly till they know for sure and then proceed on." Scott said softly.  
"Proceed how? Tell me Scott!?" Shelby asked, noticing him hesitate. She gripped his hand tighter. He got a little choked up.  
  
"M-maybe heart surgery, Shel." He whispered. Shelby let the tears fall, softly crying.  
  
"Poor baby! She's so sick!" she cried as Scott gently stroked her cheek.  
  
"She's tough Shel! The doctors say she's doing a lot better than they expected! All of them! Hey..we made a record too! First set of quints in the state!" Scott said reassuringly. Shelby nodded and managed a weak smile at that.  
  
"Did you tell anyone their names yet?" she asked, Sophie perking up at that.  
  
"Nope. Waiting for you." Scott said smiling.  
  
"Go bring them here. The babies are okay now. I wanna tell them. Jess is probably ready to burst." Shelby instructed, knowing Scott knew whom she was referring to. So Scott went down and brought the gang up.  
  
"Ezra's on the phone!" Peter announced at the phone call.  
  
"Who called Freakin'?" Shelby asked, confused.  
  
"David probably. He's left at home, gave up his seat for Daniel. He played operator." Jules said.  
  
"Oh..we have to wait for him! He can't be the only Cliffhanger not here!" Shelby said hoarsely.  
  
"We talked to Mark. He's bringing him as we speak." Sophie mentioned just as David popped in. He had boxes of pink and blue bubble gum cigars.  
  
"Another, uh, 'cousin' to the Scarbrow-Barringer room. These are from the Ridge Runners and Trailblazers." David said setting the 8 boxes down. (Lots of babies!) He immediately put 2 pinks and 3 blues in Scott's scrub pocket.  
  
"You look like you got ran over by a fairy bunch, or should I say Barringer Bunch?" David cracked at Scott.  
  
"Barringer Bunch?..I hear a theme song coming!" Daisy joked dryly.  
  
"Okay guys, now that you're all here..well at least all HEARING me anyways, I'd like to announce something." Shelby softly said. It was all she could muster, but everyone stayed completely quiet to be able to hear her. She looked up to Scott. He nodded and took the pictures from her.  
  
"Here.for you two, you two, you two, you two, and you two..EZ! You and Daisy got Baby E! A girl!" Scott yelled to the phone propped up on Shelby's bed. Daisy leaned down to the phone.  
  
"He got it." She nodded when she heard him yell.  
  
"Okay, in order of letters,.. Baby A is Braedyn Daniel Barringer. Jess and Danny, you are his godparents." Scott announced first. Then Shelby.  
  
"Baby B..Madisyn Katie Barringer. Kat and David, you are her godparents." Scott went next.  
  
"Baby C..Drakeyn Patrick Barringer. Sophie and Peter, you are his godparents." Then Shelby went.  
  
"Baby D..Dustyn Augusto Barringer. Juliette and Auggie, you are his godparents." Lastly, Scott went.  
  
"And Baby E..Jesslyn Daisy Barringer. EZ! You and Daisy are her godparents!" Scott finished. Everyone was in tears and smiling.  
  
"So..how do you like them? It took me and Scott a LONG time to get everyone matched to the perfect baby and to each other. You know, in case something REALLY happened to us!" Shelby said, biting her lip. Everyone was open-mouthed.  
  
"We love them! Thank you so much!" Kat said all excited, holding her goddaughter's picture. David leaned in to see.  
  
"Can I see? I haven't seen any of them yet." He mentioned.  
  
"Oh! Mom? Take David down there?! You both haven't seen them much." Shelby said, yawning then grimacing.  
  
"The drugs warring off, huh?" Scott said, grimacing at her scrunched up face and just imagining what she must feel like. Shelby nodded with pain clearly evident in her eyes.  
  
"Okay, who wants breakfast? Let's move out, give Shelby some much needed rest." Kat said, taking charge. They all gave their pictures back to Shelby, but got a colored cigar to match their godchild. Scott and Peter hung back.  
  
"They're gorgeous sweetie. I'm so proud of you. Now get rested up and healed up. Those babies need to see their mommy." Peter said fatherly, kissing her forehead. She nodded and smiled tiredly.  
  
"Yes, captain." She joked, then her face crumpled in pain as a wave washed over her. The nurse came in and gave her pain meds and she conked out. Scott grabbed a bite to eat and conked out beside her. His head and arms wrapped up in her arm, his head resting on her upper arm. Kat had convinced everyone to go home after they ate and after David visited the babies. Ezra would be there later that night for a quick visit. They whispered their good-byes to Scott and Kat and Mark drove them all home to Horizon. Shelby woke up briefly to eat and ask about her babies before conking out again. Scott visited the babies with Sophie and Peter again for awhile after they got a few hours sleep; they didn't want to visit a resting Shelby. Just as night fell, they returned back from visiting the babies again to find Ezra there, sitting quietly next to Shelby, looking over her.  
  
"Hey EZ, you made it!" Scott said quietly, giving him handshake.  
  
"Yeah, congrats Scott." Ezra said, giving him a guy hug.  
  
"Wanna see them?!" Scott asked, showing them the pictures.  
  
"You can visit them too." Shelby said whispishly, waking up.  
  
"Hey Shel! Congratulations!" Ezra said, kissing her cheek. He handed her a sunflower.  
  
"Thanks Freakin'! You remembered!" Shelby exclaimed, admiring her fave flower.  
  
"Go see them, since I can't yet." Shelby insisted. So they took Ezra down to the quints. He gazed at each one of them a long while, especially Jesslyn.  
  
"Hey god daughter. I'm your god father, Ezra..or Freakin' like your mommy likes to call me." Ezra said, in a Godfather impersonation voice.  
  
"Can I get a picture? I have to go home in a little bit." Ezra asked.  
  
"Sure. Stand with her." A nurse said when Scott asked if it was okay. (All photos are done with NO flash!) Ezra said goodbye to Shelby and everyone, then went back home with his god daughter Jesslyn's photo, cigar gum, and a pink band with her name, time of birth, and stats on them. (Like what you would get in the emergency room) All the rest of the godparents had the same thing, a present from the nurses at the N.I.C.U.  
  
Just before visiting hours were over, a respectable reporter came to interview the new parents for the nightly news. They were going to be on the late night news and in tomorrows. Scott and Shelby refrained from any photos of the quints being released, only a picture of Scott went on camera sporting his foot print outfit, wrist bands, and cigars grinning away, with the 5 wrist banded hand holding up 5 fingers. Peter went home after visiting hours were over, leaving mom and husband for Shelby. For the first time in a long while, she slept through the night, still worried about her babies, but feeling a WHOLE lot lighter!!!  
{#}  
  
A/N: There you go!! Hope you liked it, especially the names. Please review and tell me if you liked them, tell me what you thought of them! My friend helped me figure out different but cool names that all matched, then I just matched them to important people in Scott and Shelby's lives. Hope you understand all the medical mumbo jumbo. One thing though, in blood transfusions in premature newborns, it does go in the top of the babies head. That's what I had to have, they shaved my head and everything. That was one of the ways my mom told my sister and I apart!! Don't forget to review, and PLEASE, constructive criticism!! I hate getting badmouthed and cussed out! I've had a crappy week, believe me!!! Thanx and next chappy out soon!! 


	15. Baby Steps and Christmas Wishes

D: I don't own a single thing, I have no money, and all that I can say is mine is my own thoughts and beliefs. Can't get much out of that, now could you?  
  
A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been awhile. You know the deal, school, work, and homework, yada yada. And RUDE reviewers who will remain nameless since they don't have the guts to sign their real name. {Mandy, you are officially 'my guardian angel' as Sydney would say on Alias. Love you girl!! From now on, you are going to have this story dedicated in your name! Boy, you should have SEEN my sister, who is VERY protective of her twin sis, when she read THAT! She's here physically, but you got me electronically I guess! Love ya girl!!} On with the story, here's the next chappy, enjoy!  
  
{#}  
Starting the next day, each baby started gaining weight and taking 'baby' steps forward. Shelby started walking as well, very difficulty, with Scott right by her side the whole time. She visited the babies 3 times that day, holding each one like she did with Madisyn the day before. By the end of the week, 5 days after they were born, 3 of them got off the ventilators. It shocked all of the hospitals, nurses and doctors how well they were doing.  
  
"I can't believe Jesslyn, Braedyn, and Dustyn are off those tubes! And their all at least 3lbs. now! And Jesslyn is eating, Dustyn is over his jaundice too!" Shelby said excitedly on her last night in the hospital. She was talking to Daisy on the phone. Scott came in looking solemn.  
  
"Oh! Something's up, gotta go! Bye!" Shelby said quickly, hanging up.  
"What is it, Scott?! Madisyn? Her specialist was gonna re-evaluate her! What's wrong with her?!" Shelby said, getting more and more upset.  
  
'Oh crap. Too far' Scott realized.  
  
"Shh..calm down Shel! Yes, he re-evaluated her today." Scott said calming his wife down a few notches.  
  
"Well?!" she said expectantly. He set his face towards the floor, then looked up smiling.  
  
"Her murmur is just that..a murmur. No hole, YET. We just have to keep monthly check ups on her till she gets older and stronger and they could do something about it further. For now, she's just a little behind Drakeyn. He's doing better too. Probably be off the vent in a day or so. And Dustyn smiled at me." Scott said happily, playing Shelby on earlier.  
  
"Oh! Oh, thank you Jesus! She's gonna do okay. I'm soo happy! She's okay..for now..but okay.!" Shelby said, bouncing in her bed slightly. She hugged and kissed Scott happily. Before he knew it, she'd pulled him down on the bed with her, going to town. (Girl's missed her MAN!) He finally got some air when she'd gone a little too far and yelped.  
  
"Oh! Sorry baby! You okay?" Scott said breathlessly.  
  
"Uh..yeah. I can't WAIT to get all healed up! It sucks being so sore all the time, these staples hurt!" Shelby said rubbing her abdomen. Scott winced at that. He'd seen them; he had to help her get dressed the first few days. Poor thing couldn't even scratch her kneecap without lots of pain. The past 2 nights, he'd been able to snuggle in the hospital bed with her, so after Jess, Jules, Danny, and Sophie came back from visiting the babies and said goodnight, he snuggled her up in his arms for her last night in the hospital. He teased her with kisses all over her face and neck, making her giggle softly before falling asleep.  
Early the next morning, Shelby got up and packed and went down to the NICU to spend as many moments as she could with her babies. This time she had them all surrounding her as she read a story to them. She read them the story of the Pokey Little Puppy 'cause of the 5 puppies'. Then she went to each one, holding them gently and singing softly to them. Scott and her each started on the opposite ends, making their way to each baby. Drakeyn got off the ventilator as they were there, now he just had oxygen in his nose like his brothers and sister. Only Madisyn had a vent still because of her heart. And t they were all steadily climbing through 3lbs. ?oz. Also, Jesslyn started sucking, so she was able to try eating more often. It seemed like each baby, excluding Madisyn, was gaining what usually takes a week, in a couple days.  
  
"You've got some really strong babies Shelby. I've never seen preemies this small accomplish so much so fast!" Abby said as Shelby visited Drakeyn after he got his vent out. He was crying raspy and Shelby was trying to calm him down.  
  
"Well, the way I see it is the preemies born are singles, and they're born because of something wrong with them. My babies just wanted to save Madisyn. They're all pretty healthy. Even my identical boys bounced back." Shelby said smiling as Drakeyn tried to wrap his tiny hand around her finger.  
  
"They were trying to be strong for her." Scott commented from Dustyn's bed.  
  
"SHE'S doing wonderful to. Her siblings are doing their job well!" Abby said smiling. Then continued truthfully.  
  
"If I could bet, you'd have these ones home by Christmas!" Abby mentioned. Shelby and Scott looked shocked.  
  
"Are you serious?! Really?!" Shelby hoped.  
  
"Yeah! If they keep this pace up..They'll be 4 to 4 ½ lbs. by next week, that's the 21st or 22nd. Sure!" Abby said, nodding surely.  
  
"Oh..my..I thought it'd be the middle of January!" Scott sputtered.  
  
"Sure, we ALL did..but they're doing so well. Hope you went Christmas shopping, you've got 4 little ones on Christmas morning who'll be waiting!" Abby joked. Shelby heard 4 and her smile dropped.  
  
"Not my shy one? Madisyn won't come home too?" Shelby said softly. Abby smiled sadly.  
  
"I don't think so. Not with her heart. She's still a little more sicker than her siblings." Abby spoke softly. Shelby nodded.  
  
"But 4! I wasn't sure ANY of them would be able to come home!" Shelby said trying to move on. They finished visiting their babies, and then very reluctantly left at 1:00pm when the hospital discharged Shelby, leaving their 6-day-old quints behind. She had tears in her eyes when Scott wheeled her to a waiting Peter.  
  
"It's okay sweetie. They'll be home before you know it." Her father said, rubbing her cheek fatherly. When she came home, she was greeted with a huge Welcome home crowd. A lot of the Horizon kids were waiting to see her, especially the Cliffhangers. She had the most recent snapshots of the quints, taken a few hours ago, to show everyone.  
  
"They're getting bigger!" Auggie said happily. Shelby noticed everybody still had their godchildren's wristbands on, like her and Scott.  
  
"You're still wearing these?" she pointed out and every one of them showed theirs off. Even Kat was there.  
  
"Staying here for Christmas anyways, decided to come a week earlier than planned." She explained. School was out that day for break, so a lot of the kids were on their way home. Pretty much everyone except for the Cliffhangers. By the next night, the school was all empty. Now the Cliffy's could run amok, decorating for Christmas and everything. The night after all the Horizon kids went home, Shelby came home from visiting the babies ALL excited.  
  
"They took her off the vent! Madisyn's like..JUMPING ahead soo fast! She's on oxygen like her siblings, but she's doing great!" Shelby said, all smiles. Jess and Danny had gone with them.  
  
"And I held Braedyn, Jesslyn, and Dustyn! REALLY held them! Scott did too!" Shelby said excitedly.  
  
"They're so cute! Tiny, but adorable!" Jess said happily to everyone as they decorated the lounge area.  
  
"Shel sweetie, I've got something for you guys, c'mere." Sophie said, motioning for her 'kids' to come over.  
  
"I already ran it by the group, they all have their own..from Jules..look." Sophie said showing them a back table with 11 different Christmas stockings. The two biggest said Sophie and Peter with Mr. and Mrs. Claus faces on them. Then the next size down there was Jessica, Daniel, Shelby and Scott. Jess was an angel, Danny a lighted Christmas tree, and Shelby & Scott's were a snowman and woman. Then the last smallest size, there was 5 for Braedyn, Madisyn, Drakeyn, Dustyn, and Jesslyn and they were all covered in a snowflake theme. Shelby was speechless.  
  
"They're beautiful! It's ALL of us!" Jess said finally, smiling happily. After they dried, Scott and Shelby helped Peter hang them all up with the others, slightly separated to make them a family. The last one, cause they were in order by age, was little Madisyn's. Shelby held it a moment, tears in her eyes. Danny came over then and put his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"It's okay sis. She'll be here, even if it's just her thoughts. She's gotta get a little stronger. She'll be fine." He said reassuringly.  
  
"Thanks Dan..sniff There. All set!" Shelby said smiling, dissolving all the tears. Kat came over with her camera and took pictures of the fireplace and all the stockings for a scrapbook. She was Horizon's little personal/ sort-of pro photographer. She had an eye for it.  
  
"Oh! You HAVE to do some of the babies next time I go! They said I could hold ALL of them by then!" Shelby said excitedly, getting into a big discussion with her. So early the next morning Kat went with Shelby and Scott to visit the quints, then they were gonna meet everyone in town to go Christmas shopping. They even got a wheelchair for Shelby who still couldn't walk great distances for too long. Shel also was at the hospital to get her staples out. Kat took some pictures of her holding ALL 5 babies in her lap. She didn't want to move; she loved having them all in her arms again.  
  
"I miss having all of them so close to me." She said, glaring daggers at Abby motherly when she came to pick them up to start putting them away. Finally, reluctantly, she allowed Abby to take them, but Abby nicely let her hold Madisyn the longest. She'd kissed, sung, and rocked all of them till most of them were asleep. Only Madisyn stayed awake, constantly gazing at Shelby and reacting to her voice.  
  
"You were the closest to my voice. Is that why you like it so much? Hmm Maddy?" Shelby said stroking Madisyn's tummy. Madisyn suddenly cracked a sideways smile and made little baby noises. Shelby beamed.  
  
"Oh, my baby girl!" Shelby said choked up when Madisyn was the only one left in her arms. Abby was putting Dustyn away, Scott with her and Kat watching over Braedyn who was upset about leaving his mommy and sibs.  
  
"Will you do something for me? Be strong; continue getting so much better. I wanna bring you home Madisyn. If I only had one gift this Christmas, it'd be to have my WHOLE family home together! That means you too baby. Just stay healthy and strong. And never forget that I love you." Shelby said kissing her nose. Madisyn was laying transfixed to Shelby's voice. Shelby looked up suddenly when Drakeyn started getting upset, so she didn't see Madisyn's slight nod like an 'Okay mama!' type gesture. Abby came then and helped Shelby put Madisyn in her incubator, keeping all her cords and tubes from tangling. Shelby went over to Scott and Kat who were both by Drakeyn's incubator.  
  
"That was the first time they were all together, huh?" Kat asked.  
  
"Yeah..since being in my stomach." Shelby said stroking Drakeyn's head worriedly as he continued to get worked up. Braedyn also was getting just as worked up, and Jesslyn was starting up as well, reacting to her brothers' emotions.  
  
"Abby I think they want to be next to each other again. They just realized the rest of them are all here." Kat said, going over to Jesslyn and stroking her cheek.  
  
"Make's sense. But they'd only be comfortable with the sibling they were next to while in the womb. Who was Drakeyn next to?" Abby asked, growing concerned when he became the loudest.  
  
"Jesslyn and Dustyn then." Shelby said.  
  
"I'll see what I can do. Probably for Braedyn also. He wants to be by.who?" Abby wondered.  
  
"Madisyn. They were the closest on top." Shelby said pointing to her stomach instinctively.  
  
"And Madisyn was a little separated from Drakeyn. So just her and Braedyn. I'll put them together like that. We all know studies have showed it drastically improves their health." Abby summed all up.  
  
"I have an appointment for staple removal, when I get back will they be moved?" Shelby asked, constantly trying to comfort a wailing Drakeyn while Kat cooed at Jesslyn and Scott talked to Braedyn. Abby looked over at Dustyn as he began to whimper and squirm.  
  
"Probably. 3 and 2. I won't let them keep carrying on like this much longer. It won't help ANY one." Abby said, her brow creasing as it seemed all 5 babies were not very happy babies anymore.  
  
So she got her staples removed with a little pain and bleeding. She gingerly walked back into the NICU an hour later. All the incubators in room B were gone. Now there were 2 cribs, in an L shape against the far corner. All 5 babies were there; Drakeyn, Dustyn and then Jesslyn in one; Braedyn and Madisyn in the other. All cozied up to each other with special preemie bumpers supporting them. All conked out.  
  
"Yeah! They're all sleeping at the same time! And they have each other, so they'll get better faster!" Shelby clapped quietly. She was on cloud nine.  
  
"Just weighed them too." Abby commented grinning like she had a secret. She couldn't stop smirking.  
  
"And?!" everyone whispered expectantly.  
  
"Braedyn's half an ounce away from 4lbs. and his brothers and sisters are JUST behind him a few ounces or so! Only Dustyn is at 3 and a half." Abby said happily. Shelby and Scott would have cheered it the babies weren't asleep. Kat grabbed them into a group hug.  
  
"Ow! Ouch!.oooh." Shelby yelped when she got TOO excited. All the babies startled at this, frowning up their faces.  
  
"Oops! Sorry babies! Mama's okay." Shelby said softly, shushing them back to sleep. They stayed a few more minutes watching the babies sleep but then had to go. It was a long drive to the mall. (45min-1hour) Kat took some pictures of the babies in their new beds for the scrapbook before they said good bye.  
  
They climbed in to Kat's car, Shelby and Scott feeling a lot better about their children's well being now.  
{I recommend reading Bee's HG Christmas story, it's where I got this idea for shopping together from and it's also hilarious!}  
  
"I can't move. I sat TOO long and just having the staples out..my insides are in tight knots trying not to fall out onto the pavement right here! I'm gonna be bent over for the rest of my life!" Shelby said between clenched teeth as she fell out of Kat's car.  
  
"It's okay. Your dad should be just inside with the wheelchair. At least walk to there. It'll be better for you." Kat instructed as Scott held her arm, rubbing her back. So she grabbed Kat and Scott's arms and walked painfully to her sanctuary.  
  
"Lovely, wonderful wheelchair!" Shelby said, settling in.  
  
"Everyone's all around..SOMEWHERE. You'll see them sometime." Peter said, heading back to his wife. So for the rest of the day they all shopped till they dropped. They all ate dinner at the local restaurant there, meeting for the first time all together. And then drove the long trek home. It was dark when they got home and they all snuck off to all different places to wrap presents. Scott wandered around a little after 10:00pm looking for his wife.  
  
"Hey meat? Looking for your girl?" Auggie asked sleepily, as he placed his last present under the tree.  
  
"Yeah muchacho. Seen her anywhere?" Scott said yawning.  
  
"In her pops office." He answered waving an arm towards the hallway.  
  
"Thanks man..night." Scott said doing their whole hand slap/guy thing.  
  
"Night meat." Auggie said yawning and shuffling off to the guys' dorm. Scott went to Peter's office and quietly opened the door and peered in. He smiled when he saw a pile of perfectly wrapped presents off to one side of the biggest wrapping paper, boxes, stuffing, bags, bows, ribbon, and tape explosion he'd ever seen. And nestled in the middle up against the love seat was Shelby, passed out with wrapping paper partly draped over her, tape pieces in her hair and ribbon around her shoulders. He some how made it to her without drowning in wrapping paper, lifter her in his arms and carried her to their room, putting her to bed. After pulling the pieces of tape and stuff off her of course. He went back and cleaned up, putting the presents under the tree.  
  
"Finish up, son?" Peter asked, as he came to put the fire out.  
  
"Yeah, Shel fell asleep wrapping. Should've seen her, all covered in wrapping paper and stuff." Scott commented walking out with him.  
  
"Peter?..she really wants her whole family home for Christmas. She tries to pretend she doesn't mind, but I can see it in her eyes." Scott said, feeling helpless.  
  
"I know. I don't know what to do..Just pray I guess. All that's left." Peter said, patting his back. Scott nodded slightly, then quietly went into his room. Just before slipping into bed, he said a quick little prayer hoping someone heard it.  
{#}  
  
A/N: Well, there's that chappy! Kind of a long one! Hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter is Christmas; will Shelby get her Christmas wish? I'll update as soon as possible! PLEASE review and tell me how you like it! I love getting reviews; it gets me to update faster!! I'll try to have the next chappy up ASAP, but I do go to school full time and work! Don't forget to review! thanx! 


	16. Authors Note to Reviewers

##################Authors Note to reviewers#################  
  
First off, I'd like to thank you ALL who have reviewed my story so loyally. You are the reason I write, hoping at least ONE person enjoys what I written. I know I'm not a brain surgeon or a medical professional or even spell all that well, that's why in the beginning of my story I said so (well, not about the spelling bit, y'all figured that out on your own!). And also that is why I also put that this is an AU too. Just to clear ALL things up, with EVERBODY! So, even though I do appreciate 'constructive criticism' from my viewers, I do believe what Anne 'hiduh' commented on was way out of line, and I do not appreciate it at all. I also respect where my guardian Angel Mandy is coming from with sticking to my side and backing me up. Let me just tell you it felt great!! And I do appreciate it very much. BUT. I DO not appreciate what she commented on about laughing when someone killed themselves (sorry girl!). This is a very touchy subject for me as well, just like Mr. Personality. Except it wasn't only just a friend from high school who I knew that committed suicide, it was also my grandfather from before I was born, then years later, like a couple years ago from now, his own son, my uncle also committed suicide. He left behind a wife and two young children. So, this is why it has been awhile since I updated, cause I wasn't sure how to react to everything everyone is saying to each other. And, I definitely agree that, even though it is very fun reading your reviews or comments back and forth to each other through my reviews, it's true that YES I am getting a little tired of it. I thought ignoring it would get it to calm down a little, but I guess not. So my suggestion is to get y'alls email addresses somehow and 'talk' amongst yourselves!!.  
  
BUT!!! You know I still love getting reviews..just more about my story and what y'all think about it, and any questions y'all have. So, now that that is all said, I will continue with my story.  
  
Oh, to all of you who have NO flippin' idea what this is all about and are just peeved that this WASN'T a new chapter, I apologize now. I HAVE been real sick (still!) with what is now a severe head cold AND strep throat!! I tell you now, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES!!! Eat some oranges, and drink orange juice and get your rest and wash hands after EVERYTHING!! I don't wish this on my worst enemy! (Yes, not even you Anne, if you're reading this at all)  
  
So, next chappy, maybe some babies?!?!?!? Go see!!! ################################################# 


	17. Wishes Come True, except Little Madisyn

D: Mine? Nope.  
  
A/N: Here's the next chappy as promised..AWHILE ago. Sorry things got a little..bumpy along the way, but it should be all cleared up now, I hope. Hope you guys like this next chappy, it's getting towards the end for this story. But don't worry, if you like, me and my twin sis are doing an Alias collaboration that is going to be AWESOME! Well, in our minds anyways. Also, I have an ER one I'm going to post real quickly if you are interested. So, on with this HG story, enjoy!  
  
{#}  
A few days later, Horizon's first wish came true. On the 22nd, it started snowing for the first time. Then Shelby and Scott got their wish come true.  
  
"They're coming home! They called at 8:00 this morning! Dustyn, Drakeyn, Jesslyn, and Braedyn are coming home TO DAY!" Jess screeched as she rushed into the lobby area. It was about 8:30 or so, everyone was still in their PJ's  
  
"All RIGHT! Snow AND Babies!" David said smiling. Everyone cracked up at his sudden show of true emotions.  
  
"Hey! It's Christmas!" he defended, not really caring they picked on him. Just then Shelby and Scott came rushing in, all bundled up, with 2 baby seats each and a baby bag each. Sophie was just behind them with 4 thick, and 4 thinner blankets.  
  
"We gotta go. We'll be back ASAP. I'll call first, wish us luck!" Sophie blurted out to Peter and the Cliffy's as she went outside to the explorer.  
  
"I'll have to lay down in the way back." Scott noticed, as all the seats were full.  
  
"No way. I will not have one of my grandbabies in a front seat and my son in law rolling around in the back. We'll have to take the school van." Sophie said. So they piled into the van, making sure to secure the 4 infant seats tightly. Shelby got all misty eyed on the ride over because there was only 4. Sophie smiled sadly at Scott sadly as she saw him notice too.  
  
"S'okay Shelbell. I want her home too." Scott said softly, touching her cheek gently. She nodded understanding and climbed out when they reached the hospital parking lot. As they made their way in, an elderly woman noticed all the seats and asked politely.  
  
"Are ya' donating or something?" she smiled kindly.  
  
"No, we're bringing our babies home today." Scott said strongly/proudly.  
  
"4?!" the women replied wide-eyed.  
  
"Well, for now. We'll bring our last one home later. She's still too sick." Shelby said evenly, smiling. The kind old lady stared at them a moment before smiling unsurely.  
  
"God Bless you. You'll need it!" she said, still shocked.  
  
"Thanks." Sophie said for them, holding onto the bags and camera. When they arrived at the NICU Room B, Shelby found Abby looking over the babies who were all in one crib, scrunched side by side, all in matching blankets, hats, and bumpers.  
  
"All my little ones!" Sophie said, taking a picture.  
  
"Well, you'll still have one to take care of, Abby. Sorry, but I'm taking as many of them as I can." Scott said jokingly. Abby did her last final check over as they change the four going home, Braedyn, Drakeyn, Dustyn, and Jesslyn, into their 'going home' outfits; Christmas print white jumpers, thick and warm, with light pink snow flakes on Jesslyn's and light blue for the boys. They had matching bonnets, pink and blue of course, and mittens put on as well. The seats were navy blue with yellow and white stripes on them. Once they placed them in the car seats, they tucked the lighter blanket all around them and their head bumpers, with the thicker blankets to cover over the top of them. Abby said goodbye to all of them, along with other staff members, as Shelby held Madisyn close to her. Now Madisyn was only hooked to a heart monitor. Nothing else.  
  
"She's doing great. She'll be home before you know it." Sophie commented. Abby just smiled at that. She kept quiet though.  
  
"I love you Mady. We'll all think about you, come home quick. Put mommy at ease." Scott said as he held her last. After a few more minutes of instructions and good-byes, Scott and Shelby left the NICU a baby in each hand, with a proud grandma just behind them.  
  
"Stay here and I'll get the van." Sophie instructed as she pushed the rolling cart full of presents and stuff from the hospital.  
  
"I can't believe that they are ALL over 4 pounds now!" Scott said as he sat next to Shelby in the lobby chairs, the babies lined up in front of them. In the seats, they looked miniature.  
  
"Those your newborns?" a man asked coming over with his teenaged daughter. She was VERY pregnant.  
  
"Yep. All 4 of these. We still have one upstairs. She can't come home yet." Shelby answered.  
  
"How cute! Quints?!" the teenager responded, in awe.  
  
"You don't look much older than me!" she commented to Shelby.  
  
"How old are you?" Shelby asked softly.  
  
"I'm 16..and a half." She answered, turning a little red.  
  
"Well, not by much, I just turned 17 a few months ago. Name's Shelby. And this is my husband Scott, and THESE are our babies..Braedyn Daniel, Jesslyn Daisy, Dustyn Auggusto, and Drakeyn Patrick. Dustyn and Drakeyn are identicals." Shelby said like a proud mother.  
  
"Wow! Cool names!" the teenager said smiling at the tiny babies.  
  
"I'm Mikala. This is my dad Mike, and these are MY identical twins.girls!" she said rubbing her big belly.  
  
"Must be the water around here..or a good lesson to you youngsters!" Mike said, only half joking.  
  
"Dad! It wasn't MY fault! He messed with my drink!" Mikala said angrily.  
  
"Sounds familiar. Only we shared the drink, so it didn't exactly work in a bad way. And since she was taking this medicine..voila!" Scott said, waving his hand over his kids. Shelby patted the girl's shoulder, understanding how she felt.  
  
"He'll get what he deserves. I know Walter did in my case. Even though I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't have my babies now." Shelby said, smiling down as Drakeyn yawned a tiny infant yawn. (SO adorable!)  
  
"What did you say? WALTER?! As in Walter Brimcoff?!" Mikala asked suddenly.  
  
"Yes! Do you know him!?...Oh my gosh! He did this to you too!" Shelby said getting all upset when she saw the look in Mikala's eyes and put it all together.  
  
"But he was PUNISHED for what he did to us! How did he get out?" Shelby said, looking lost.  
  
"I'm 8 ½ months along. How long ago did he get to you two?" Mikala said anxiously.  
  
"Like..maybe 8 months ago." Scott said angrily. He realized that Walter had gotten to Mikala first.  
  
"Yeah, well you got him for the both of us." Mikala said, smiling to know that he had been caught.  
  
"Here's my number. Call me when those babies have come. And I'll give you my lawyer's number. Let's keep in touch." Shelby said, handing her a piece of paper she had scribbled on. They waved goodbye then bundled the babies up to keep them warm and secured them into the van. Scott on the middle bench, in between two babies. Shelby in the second middle seat, between the other two, and all the stuff piled on the last one. They took off for Horizon; all thinking about the one little sibling left behind.  
  
Little Madisyn.  
  
{#}  
  
A/N: There is the baby home going. Well, almost all of them. And it isn't home coming since they haven't actually reached home yet. By the way, I searched on the net to read about quints and stuff and found some neat web sites that had photos of sets of quints. That's where a lot of the scenarios I use came from, so you should check it out. I know some of the families' names I used were the Browns, and I believe the Johnson's or something like that. Anyways, if you just put 'quints' in the search and find photos or galleries, especially under family owned web pages, there are a lot of pictures that are just adorable! Just an idea I thought I'd mention to you guys!! As usual, don't forget to review, PLEASE!! I love getting them!! Thanx! 


	18. Homecoming and Parenthood begins

D: I don't own them.. Or anything for that matter. Just my 10-month-old kitten Bree, and that's only half of her. Gotta share when you're a twin.  
  
A/N: Here's the next chappy, up VERY soon after the last one. Why you ask? I actually got a few, NORMAL reviews!! And I want to finish up with this story so I can put up my ER one, and me and my sis can start on our Alias one. Here ya' go Mandy, hopelessromantic, Tatiana, and all the rest of my reviewers from previous chappy's. Now, the homecoming! Enjoy!  
  
AA/N: Oh, hopelessromantic, how do you do that whole undoing of the anonymous reviewer thing? I don't think I remember how. Thanx!  
  
{#}  
They traveled home from picking up Braedyn, Drakeyn, Dustyn and Jesslyn watching the babies on their 'first car ride!'. As they pulled into the drive at Horizon, the home coming committee welcomed them. They had banners saying, "Welcome (baby name)" and balloons saying 'It's a boy' x 3 and one 'It's a girl'. There was also the reporter who had talked to them before. When they stopped only Peter came over to help them, so they didn't crowd them.  
  
"Hey guys! Hey babies! Need any help?" Peter asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
"We'll carry them. It's okay Dad." Shelby said unhooking Jesslyn, then Braedyn; Scott got Dustyn and Drakeyn. Peter just helped with their bag. They walked up together each carrying 2 babies and said hi to everyone.  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Barringer..how does it feel to finally bring most of your babies home?" the reporter chick asked smiling.  
  
"Wonderful. The best." Scott answered a little shyly.  
  
"Great..I just wished we could bring Madisyn home as well." Shelby said smiling sadly.  
  
"So, who's here now?" the reporter asked. The camera came over and as they said each name, it peeked under the warm blankets at each sleeping face.  
  
"This is Braedyn Daniel...his sister Jesslyn Daisy." Shelby said setting each baby down and allowing a quick peek at each.  
  
"And these are the identicals Dustyn Auggusto..and Drakeyn Patrick." Scott said proudly as he set his two down.  
  
"Okay, let's get my grandbabies inside before we make miniature snowbabies out of them." Sophie said as they piled through into the lounge with the roaring fireplace. Everyone crowded around each baby then doing the 'oohs' and 'aahs' as each baby wiggled or made little baby squeaks. Shelby and Scott said a few last words to the reporter then said goodbye to her. Back in the lounge, Scott and Shelby laughed when the babies were still all in their seats, untouched.  
  
"Okay! Who wants to hold their god child?" Shelby announced. Everyone grinned like crazy at that. No one's ever held them before except for the parents. And Sophie of course. (GRANDMA!) So Jess and Daniel huddled together, Jess holding Braedyn, Daisy held Jesslyn. Auggusto held Dustyn with Jules glued to his side. And Peter happily held Drakeyn with Sophie taking pictures. Kat sat back with David smiling. David looked at everyone with a little jealously.  
  
"Sorry guys. Your baby's still a little weak. She's doing real well though. You'll have her to hold in no time." Scott said, clapping David's shoulder.  
  
"Snow..but no baby." David mumbled. Scott just grinned. He went to Peter and spoke to him a moment, then took Drakeyn in his hand. ((Non- plural, he's tiny, and my nephew was 8lbs at birth and my bro held him one handed all the time!))  
  
"Here bro...take a seat. Support his head like this..yeah, there ya' go." Scott said, handing him to David.  
  
"Whoa..he's so small! Hey little D!" David said, now a happy camper. Scott smiled at Peter then. Peter had told him that his babies were going to be great therapy for all the Cliffhangers, especially David. After cooing over the babies for a little while, they finally brought them to see their new home. Danny placed Dustyn next to Drakeyn in one bassinet. Daisy put Jesslyn down next to Braedyn in another and they all tip toed out of there, since all four of them were asleep. Shelby decided to crash with them on the bed, so they weren't left alone. As soon as Shelby lay down, with both bassinets close by, she conked out. Surprisingly, the babies slept for a good hour and a half before Jesslyn started fussing setting Braedyn off, and Dustyn stirred and woke Drakeyn up.  
  
"Okay, okay, mom's up too. Let me go get your daddy, I've only got an arm for two of you." Shelby said sitting up and stretching.  
  
Before she even got off the bed Scott appeared with Jess and Jules.  
  
"The cavalry is here. What's wrong?" Jules said, rubbing her hands together as she scooped up Dustyn.  
  
"I think they're..hungry?" Shelby said, biting her lip as she scooped up Jesslyn.  
  
"Don't worry sis. You'll have them on a routine in no time. C'mere Braedyn." Jess said scooping her nephew up. Scott got Drakeyn and they all made their way to the kitchen. There they all grabbed bottles from the hospital along with the burpers from the nursery and then grabbed a seat around the lounge.  
  
"Okay, Sophie will help you if you have any problems. Make sure to burp them every 1 ounce." Shelby said as she started feeding Jesslyn. Each baby finished over half of the preemie bottles, Braedyn finishing the whole thing.  
  
Then came the diaper changing and all heck broke loose.  
  
"Ih..DIOS MIO!!! Sweet mother of Jesus!!..WHAT IS that STUFF!?!" Auggie exclaimed wildly as he helped Jules change Dustyn. Scott just grinned loving it as Daisy made a face that would forever stay in his memory just then. Kat even looked a little..perplexed.  
  
"It's the enriched formula. It'll get better." Shelby responded in between giggles as she changed her big boy Braedyn with Kat.  
  
"It HAS to!! There's no WAY it can get any worse!!" Auggie said grimacing. Once done, the babies rotated around the group and their infant bouncy seats for the rest of the day. Shelby called the hospital to see how Madisyn was doing.  
  
"You did? That's great! And she's okay with it? Oh, .yeah, you kinda get attached to Braedyn..but it's better than ALAWAYS being upset like you said she was. Kiss her and tell her we love her. Thanks Abby." Shelby finished as she walked out of the office with Scott in tow. They went back to the group all in the mess hall for dinner to tell them the news.  
  
"Abby put her with a twin baby whose brother is REAL sick and can't be with her. Her name is BreeAnne. Cute huh? They'll probably grow up to be best friends or something." Shelby said.  
  
"You said something about her being upset Shel." Scott asked, concerned for his youngest daughter.  
  
"She'd been real irritable since we left. Abby had to hold her practically the whole time. She misses her brothers and sister. She's doing much better though, not 100%. She can tell." Shelby said softly.  
  
"Yeah, and 2 years from now she'll be screaming at him to 'stop touching me!' so it won't matter." Daisy said dryly, trying to lighten the mood. They all ate in the mess hall with all the babies sitting around them in their seats, except Sophie was holding Braedyn. He was fussy too, probably for his missing sister. Finally when everyone went to bed, they put the babies in jammies and went to bed, promising to get Sophie if they needed any help. They fell asleep for 3 good hours before Braedyn woke up. The life of parenthood of multiples was beginning now.  
{#}  
  
A/N: There's the next chappy. It's a little shorter then others, but it's a good cut off point. PLEASE review and tell me what's on your mind!! Next chappy up as soon as possible!! Got a lot of homework, and now my catechism class is doing a lot since lent and Easter is coming just around the corner! Don't forget to review!! I love them, like always! Thanx! 


	19. Shelby's Christmas Gift and Finale

D: I do not own Higher Ground. I own my kitten. Well, half of her. And my new snow outfit. That is all.  
  
A/N: Here's the next chapter for you! Up faster than I thought I would. I might be finished this chappy or the next, not sure!! Please, please review!!! thanx! Enjoy!  
  
AA/N: Those of you who asked for some more S&S 'fluff' stuff, sorry, but they have 4 NEWBORNS!! To take care of. They probably don't even get a chance to LOOK in each other's eyes let alone spare time to spend together. With all the help or not, they are still the parents so they act like that. They don't let everyone else raise their kids. Sorry!!  
  
{#}  
By Christmas Eve day, Shelby was learning the ropes of mommy hood and missing Madisyn terribly. But she had four other babies to be a mother to. Scott left early that morning to do some forgotten important paper work at the hospital. He told Shelby they had called. Shelby wanted him to visit Madisyn and kiss and hug her lots.  
  
"What papers did they say you needed to sign?" Shelby asked just before he walked out the door.  
  
"Uh..some..RELEASE forms for our four home now. Forgot some last time." Scott said, smiling all huge.  
  
"Oh..okay. Love you, bye." Shelby said, brushing it off. Everyone was getting all excited for the Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. Everybody was busy in the kitchen cooking and chopping wood for later or some even called home to say Merry Christmas and such. By close to 2:00pm, Shelby was getting worried. Scott had been gone for 3 hours. She'd been busy caring for her babies with everyone's help, but she knew he'd been running late. The early Christmas dinner was close to being finished cooking. They would be eating by 3:00pm.  
  
"Where IS my husband?!" Shelby said when she saw it click to 2:30pm. She'd just fed Drakeyn and put him down with his siblings; they had 2 monitors set in the kitchen and in the mess hall. Everyone was in their Christmas best and Danny was pacing the door hungrily.  
  
"Ya' know what? I've never had a Christmas dinner before, let alone a Christmas?" Danny told Shelby, trying to distract her from worrying.  
  
"Really?! NEVER?! Not even a stocking?" Shelby said getting mad for him.  
  
"Well, on Christmas day we would get these cheesy cards with a roll of Life Savers stuck to them, they were usually old, I liked them. And on the streets there were the shelters. One year, my only Christmas gift, a teenage girl gave me her necklace. It was of a lady covered over her head with a cloth, holding her hands like this." Danny said, demonstrating for her.  
  
"You don't know who that is?!" Shelby said shocked. He just looked confused and shrugged.  
  
"That's the Virgin Mary! The mother of Jesus?!" Shelby exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, okay. Like on the walls sometimes at some of the shelters ran by the churches. That's all that God stuff, huh?" Danny said, remembering.  
  
"Yes! You know, we're Catholic. You WERE baptized before mom and dad gave you up, I continued and received my first communion..but never went on to my confirmation. I was supposed to have it done last year." Shelby explained. Danny listened intently, completely interested. Even after all this time since finding his family and who he was, he was still finding new things about himself.  
  
"So, can you still do it? Can I?" he said softly.  
  
"Yes, of course. I definitely am before we baptize my babies. All of you godparents need to. So, where's this necklace now?" Shelby asked, knowing he didn't wear it.  
  
"Had to pawn it, for some money. Told the guy never to sell it. That I'd be back for it some day. He promised he'd save it. It's in a pawn shop on 138th and Gryffon St." Danny said, never forgetting. Shelby grabbed a paper as he left to find a seat 'just in case they start early' he said. She wrote down all the info. he just gave her and stuck it in her pocket.  
  
About 10 till 3, Shelby was about to pop.  
  
"Where. Is. Scott!?" she worried, glancing at the door constantly.  
  
"Shel, he's fine. Just running late. I'm almost positive he's probably just last minute shopping and lost track of time." Jules tried to reassure her.  
  
"Yeah. Probably found a baby store and poof in another world of daddy-dom." Jess said escorting her big sister to a chair at the table. The baby monitor was just over her shoulder. Everyone got a seat and got settled.  
  
Just then, you could hear the door open and close. Mark came in, taking all his gear off and smiling.  
  
"Just on time! Merry Christmas everybody..Happy Kwanza etc, etc. Let's eat!" he said happily, pulling up a chair.  
  
"M-Mark? Where's..ohmy.." Shelby started to say, but drifted off when she saw Scott come walking slowly from around the corner.  
  
He had his hands full.  
  
He slowly went up to Shelby and stooped down.  
  
"Shelby Scarbrow-Barringer..Merry Christmas." He said softly, gently placing Madisyn Katie into her arms, all wrapped up in a Christmas print blanket and in a preemie jumper (white) that had a hood to make her look like an angel. Which was also the pattern on the jumper. Shelby instantly got teary eyed and gaped at him.  
  
"B-but.h-how? Sh-she's ..okay?" Shelby stuttered out, kissing her little nose.  
  
"She's 4lbs. 4oz. She's doing good. Only gotta keep a monitor on her heart 24/7 to be safe. See." He said, his own eyes tearing, he showed her the beeper sized box clipped to Madisyn's waist and the lines leading to a lead placed over her heart in two places on her tiny chest. The stickies holding the leads on were shaped like little hearts.  
  
"It's a little too little to bring a preemie with this heart condition home, but Abby convinced them she's fine. The difference of maybe a few more days till she gained more weight. That's what took awhile, paperwork and learning all about her monitor and other things." Scott explained softly, touching Madisyn's arm gently. Shelby gazed at Scott like he was a million bucks then grabbed his face with her free hand a gave him an earth stopping kiss.  
  
"Thank you..sooo much!" she whispered, sniffling. Madisyn was awake, gazing at Shelby once again.  
  
"You did it! You kept your promise!" Shelby cooed to her. Madisyn just did this lopsided grin and wiggled a little. (most likely a gas bubble, but who's counting?!)  
  
"She's got her daddy's smile!" Kat commented.  
  
"Okay who wants to eat?" Sophie said getting the night going. Shelby held Madisyn all through dinner, letting Scott, Jules, and Sophie attend to the other 4 babies. By that night, everyone was holding a baby as they opened their secret Santa gifts. ((an: Dav=Jesslyn, Aug=Dustyn, Scott=Braedyn, Kat=Madisyn, Daisy=Drakeyn)) Shelby was a secret Santa for her parents, together. When they opened the box, they found the framed picture Kat took of the quints all lined up together in blankets and framed next to it was a legal paper. Sophie read over it quickly, then gasped. Her eyes instantly watered.  
  
"Oh.Peter." She mumbled, showing it to him. She was gazing at Shelby, and she just smiled back. Once Peter read it, he was shocked.  
  
"My 'father-in-law' helped with the paper work, though he didn't like to. It's all through the channels now. Finalized." Shelby explained as she took Madisyn away from Kat. She'd started fussing and stopped as soon as she was in mommy's arms.  
  
"What IS it?" Jules said finally, everyone wanting to know.  
  
"Scott and Shelby gave 2nd legal guardianship to me and Sophie over the quints." Peter said after a minute. Everybody nodded and smiled at that. They may be the godparents, but if anything ever happened to Shelby and Scott, they weren't going to split the babies all up. They just got a voice it what happens to each baby.  
  
After that, everyone passed out their gifts, then toasted marshmallows and had some hot chocolate, playing with the babies. Everybody clambered off to bed before it got real late so Peter and Sophie could finish up the lounge and Christmas tree. Madisyn AND Braedyn slept better than any night before in the last week since they knew that the other one was nearby.  
  
Christmas morning came and was the best yet for anybody. The quints were the center of attention; Kat getting pictures all over. Even that night when the quints received their first home baths. She got a picture of them when Shelby placed them all on their belly's, 'No quint porn please' Daisy had commented, buck @$$ed naked!!! (Talk about a full moon!) Everyone watched, enjoying the face expressions as the babies 'played' in the water.  
  
By New Years, Shelby was adjusting well to a routine. A few days after New Years, they got a call that Mikala had had her twins. On January 5, the quints had check-ups, so she went to visit Mikala too. The twins were only 2 weeks early, weighing in at 4lbs. 6oz. and 4lbs. 4oz. and both 18 inches long. She named them Kaitlynn((pronounced caught-lynn, Irish style)) Faith and Ashlynn Hope. They were very healthy. Shelby loved the name similarity. The quints were all very good, and all had gained close to another pound. Shelby was the happiest mommy when she came home with her now almost 1- month-old quints. She got another picture of them all head to head in a flower formation.  
  
"This'll make a great card photo." Shelby commented as she got the pictures back. The media would check in to see the progress of the quints every so often. Now the whole school was involved in Agnes's 'Barringer Bunch' quints. Mostly the Cliffhangers though, would be seen carrying one of them to class or back or in the mess hall. It was great therapy. Before lone, they were all normal sized infants, not a trace of being preemies in them, and all their pictures were put on Horizon's web page and in albums. Now with Jess, the 2nd photographer-to-be in Horizon, being the cameraperson. Scott and Shelby loved their new lives as parents and never regretted anything, even though it was hard at times, like when Madisyn had to go in to undergo a simple heart surgery to repair the problem she had since birth. After that, though, she would no longer need the heart monitor, and was predicted to live on a healthy, long life.  
  
Walter eventually went to prison for statutory rape, and manslaughter, since he did purposely drug minors. The quints and twins would be in college or out by the time he was considered for parole. If he survived in there. The inmates watch the news too. And they all have a soft spot for babies, especially these ones. Oh, and his cellmate's name happened to be Braydon also. (hehe..oops!)  
THE END  
{#}  
A/N: There you go! I finally finished! Hope you all enjoyed the story!! Now, I'd like to thank ALL my reviewers who supported my story and reviewed it!! Without y'all I'd not get my muse to continue on and also I'd not know if I was doing okay or not!! I love you ALL!  
My Guardian Angel Award goes to: Mandy, thanks girl for having my back!! It'll always be a great story to remember!! Hope to hear from you soon on any of my other fics!  
My #1 Reviewer award goes to: hoplessromantic. You reviewed the MOST out of everybody; I had to acknowledge that!! You're great and helped me out when I needed it. Thanx!  
I don't know enough great awards to give out to all of you, even though you all deserve one, but I am definitely mentioning all of you individually so thanks a million to all of you guys!!:  
  
Christie  
  
Carebear  
  
Just Groovy(my close 2nd in most reviews! Thanx!)  
  
Emer(where my Danny inspiration came from, thanx for letting me borrow him!)  
  
Eminemluver  
  
Leeanna  
  
JC Skywalker  
  
Prettyg36  
  
Sallysue  
  
Adrianne  
  
Ashley  
  
Kelly  
  
Ss41981  
  
Tracy  
  
Tatiana  
  
Duck  
  
Mr. Personality(You gotta email me and tell me what's the significance of how you spell your name, with all the upper and lower case letter. It's boggling my mind trying to figure it out!)  
Rosey  
And  
  
Anne(hiduh) ((for making my life a little bit more interesting, even if you didn't like the story, if you're even reading this now!)) 


End file.
